A Dream A Hope A Scar A Mission
by Ocean Motion
Summary: Jack is wondering why so many lose and so few win in a world where he seems to be stuck on the long and lonely road in the big city. His only option: live his Grandfather's legacy. Disclaimer: Natsume owns HM, not me. I am not interested in profit.
1. Stone Cold Believer

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission Chapter 1: Stone Cold Believer  
  
Edgewater. The largest city in the region. It was formally named as such because of the nearby ocean. That seemed to be the way everything else ran here in the city. Formally, of course. Everything has a preset course here. Some people call it fate that the bank manager's son becomes the bank manager, and that the prized rookie on the force always becomes the chief of police.  
  
It even seemed that this would hold true for our hero, Jack Munich. His father was an important official at the nearby life insurance agency. It seemed that Jack was to become his father's heir when the time came. But fate had something different in store for Jack.  
  
.....  
On the 27th day of winter a disturbing letter reached the Munich household, which was now only occupied with my father and myself, Jack, since the death of my mother four years ago because of a train accident. The letter read:  
  
Dear Arnold and Jack Munich,  
  
"I am very sorry to give you this letter. Your beloved father and grandfather, Hess Munich, has passed away most recently on the day of Winter the 25th. My deepest sympathies to you. Hess was a great man. It seems there was a heart failure. I do wish you will join us by the 1st of Spring to send him off. Peace to you and your household"  
  
Sincerely, Mayor Frank of the Flower Bud Village ~  
  
I just collapsed onto the table with my head in my arms and let myself be swallowed up in my emotions. A rush of sadness, anger, and fear came over me. What troubled me most was the fear. I didn't want to see my Dad come home and read this. But more so, I feared what would happen to Grandpa's farm. I had a hard time going to sleep that night, and just wondered how I would survive work the next day.  
  
......  
  
Work was turning into an almost good day. I always went to bed before  
  
Dad got home, and got up before him, working the early morning shift and all. 6 AM was pretty early for me, and I had been late more than once. Even so, when Dad got to the office around 9 in the morning, he had a sunken head and didn't look like he was in all that great of a mood, if he ever was. He had obviously read the letter.  
  
"Jack" Dad started " You saw this, I take it?" He held up the letter sent from the mayor of the Flower bud Village.  
  
"Yeah" I said in a low tone.  
  
"We're leaving the 30th, the day after tomorrow." With that Dad just got up and left sulking to his office.  
  
I fell back into the despair from the night before, but I had no place to hide it here. I didn't know how dad would respond to this kind of behavior at work. Still, I couldn't take it. I slammed my fist down hard on the cubicle desk, raising the curiosity of my nearby co-workers. This even attracted one of my peers, Mr. O'Malley, who was Dad's boss.  
  
" Will you come with me, young Master Munich?" the director asked.  
  
I knew he wasn't really asking this of me, he was telling me. I nervously got up and followed Mr. O'Malley to his corner office.  
  
Sitting down in the chair is the director's office, assigned to his guests and victims, I noticed three things. One: my boss was one heck of a big guy, and bald too, with some remnants of orange hair on his head. Two: This had just become the worst day ever. Three: I wanted out of here.  
  
" So... um.... you've had a few lates I see" Mr. O'Malley began "and I saw your recent outbreak in your cubicle. Now... I usually don't tell people this, but we're going to be laying off a couple or so people this Friday, the 30th. We figured the extra long weekend would help those who have been... *hem*.... disjoined to get over it."  
  
Mr. O'Malley seemed to be going nowhere, I figured. Maybe a promotion? Heck if I knew. All I could tell is that the boss was a nut case.  
  
"Yes..." the director continued " So if you don't want to... you know..." Mr. O'Malley's tone began to change. " I'd figure on shaping up a little!" Mr. O'Malley just got real stern. " Ten lates! What in the name of God! And that's just for this quarter! I outta' fire you right now! But since your my best supervisor's son, I really can't. If you don't wanna get laid off though, I'd suggest you be on your best behavior for the rest of the week! Now, get on out of here and get back to rolling out those numbers."  
  
At this point, I really didn't care what was going on with my life, this just kept piling up. I don't really care if I lose my job I thought. So I just slugged out the rest of the day, and the next.  
  
Friday came and, as normal, the sun came up after I did. My bags were  
  
already packed, and was waiting for Dad at the door by 9 o'clock to get to the shipyard . Finally Dad came in with his normal brown suit and a suit case. Well, Dad called it a suitcase. It was really just his brief case with all his claims papers taken out and stuffed with clothes.  
  
" I want to be in and out of here in a day" Dad announced.  
  
".... Fine...." I replied. But how can you say that Dad? I thought. This is your own father. I would stay long enough to pay my respects for you.  
  
I had to think twice about the thought that just went through his head, but after double-checking, agreed with himself.  
  
.....  
  
The boat trip thus far had been rather uneventful. I was looking over the side of the boat when he thought about doing something I hadn't honestly done in a long time. Start a conversation with Dad.  
  
" Hey, Dad..." I started, feeling a little awkward " How you feeling?"  
  
" Fine" Dad shot. "Look, I'm not much into talking right about now"  
  
I was feeling a little frustrated at his stubborn father, and decided to do something dangerous.  
  
" I don't care" I replied.  
  
" I know son, I know" Dad said with a loss in the fire of his voice." But I do right now. I just don't wanna remember all the pain right now. I'm... sorry."  
  
I felt that was enough. I gave it my best try. I tried to see if anyone else was on the small ship to this hole in the wall of a village. I did see one other person who didn't look like a sailor on board. I just stared for a minute at the scruffy looking passenger. He had some muscle on him, and his hair was something similar to a pile of hay.  
  
" Name's Cliff" said the scruffy passenger.  
  
I just realized how long I had been staring at this Cliff person, which was quite a while.  
  
"My name is Jack." And with that, neither of us said anything more. .....  
  
By the evening Dad and I had reached Rosebud Village. The sun was setting on the western horizon, creating an orange twilight. As the boat pulled up to the dock, I noticed something very strange. I didn't see any buildings. All I saw was a man with a bright red top hat and a red suit to match.  
  
As I boarded off with his father, I noticed that Cliff person get off as well in front of them.  
  
" I wasn't expecting you," said the man in the red suit.  
  
" I'm the vineyard master's nephew" Cliff replied.  
  
" Very well, I'm sure they will be pleased by your company" the red suit man greeted.  
  
Cliff stalked off, across the beach and up the hill. I wasn't really sure if Cliff was more honest than he looked, or if he just lied through his teeth.  
  
" And this is a familiar face I'm very sad to see here" said the red suit man.  
  
" Pleased to see you again, Mayor Frank" Dad managed out. I could tell he didn't like it here.  
  
" Wow, Jack has really shot up. I haven't seen you, boy, in...." the mayor obviously wasn't a financial genius, although his fluffy mustache and monocle gave you a different impression.  
  
" Twelve Years!" the mayor finally managed.  
  
" Yeah, sounds about right" I reasoned.  
  
" Let me show you too the inn" the mayor offered. "Must have been a long boat ride."  
  
With that the three of us continued silently off the beach, down the country road and into the village, with only the occasional talk about better times between the Mayor and Dad.  
  
.....  
  
The next day Dad and I attended the 10 AM service for Grandpa. I looked into the old man's eyes one last time. Just seeing him brought back to me so many flashbacks of when I was a little kid, around six years old I think.  
  
The end of the service ended up leading the church members out to the cemetery where Grandpa was put in his final earthly resting place. I shed a few tears and thought Nothing could stop you Grandpa. I guess I'm just not as strong as you.  
  
.....  
  
After the service I found myself rummaging through Grandpa's cottage. It really wasn't a house by any standard. I couldn't even find a bathroom to speak of.  
  
I pulled an old book off the shelf, showing a family tree. Then it hit me. Sure, I knew we were all Germans. I mean, look at my last name. But we were all farmers. Until Dad that is. Something clicked in the back of my mind -something crazy.  
  
Just then I heard someone walk in. I whirled around to see Dad, seemingly ready to go with his brief case and/or suit case in tow.  
  
" People called him a stone cold believe" Dad said so quietly it was almost a whisper. " If he said he could do it, he did it."  
  
" Dad.... I...." I paused, not sure that I was going about this the right way. " I want the farm."  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me" Dad shot back " You've got a great job back home."  
  
" Then I am, as Mr. O'Malley says, disjoined from this buisness," I said in defiance.  
  
" You'll never make it son, you don't know the first thing..." Dad argued.  
  
" And I suppose you do?" I interjected.  
  
" You'll never make it boy. I grew up here. You can't leave!" Dad shot back  
  
" I'm going to be layed off when I get back anyways, it doesn't matter," I returned.  
  
" You can't do it!" Dad shouted in anger. With that he just turned around and moved for the door. He shot one last glance back around at me " You'll starve son!"  
  
I narrowed my eyes. Anger was rushing up in me. " Yes, I can do it." 


	2. Ride the Wind

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 2: Ride the Wind  
  
Dad left just with that. I decided to follow the same idea and grab another old book to muddle through. I was looking at the pages, but that wasn't where my mind was. It was all a mix of things like I finally stood up to Dad! and Lets get started! Another thought filled up in me though. I knew my Dad could never make it as a farmer, but his blood ran in my veins. I prayed that I wouldn't follow the same fate as Dad.  
  
Just then I heard something scratch up against the door, almost like a claw. Grandpa wouldn't still have any animals around would he? I know he said in his letters that he really cut back on em' as he got older. I heard almost like a whimper, but very high pitched.  
  
"Hah!" I laughed to myself.  
  
I walked up to the screen door to find out if what was on the other side was what I was anticipating. I looked around out the screen, but I didn't see a single thing. I bent down to see what exactly was out there. Just at that, something made such a quick leap at the screen that I fell over backwards. When I propped my head back up the screen was empty again except for the open yard that lay outside. But to my surprise once more, a dog jumped up against the screen. A cute little dog, maybe half grown. A cute, hyper, skittish, yappy, little dog. It was what I was anticipating all along.  
  
I crawled over to the screen door to let the dog in. Just with that, I had a sloppy half-grown golden retriever lapping his tongue all over my face. This must be one of the puppies that old dog of Grandpa's had. I wasn't really sure if Grandpa had a name for him, but I just pieced though all the names that Grandpa would give a dog.  
  
After about twenty minutes I was ready to give up with the naming game. I couldn't command the dog to do anything without its name, and Grandpa always made sure his dogs were well trained.  
  
"Come on Sparky, back outside for the both of us" I said, jabbing a little at the dogs hyper attitude. The funny thing is, that name clicked. It was just about the last name I would figure Grandpa to name a dog. I kept on guessing names like Duke and Bud.  
  
Figure I need some seeds to do much of anything around here I figured. I didn't have any money though. Just at that a darted back into the house.  
  
I found what I was looking for, but I couldn't remember how to make the thing work. It was the nightstand next to the old bed, and if you wiggled it just right stuff would come up, Specifically, that's where Grandpa left his cash. I remember trying to hide a music box or something up there when I was little, but Grandpa said that spot was full. It took a good five minutes to get it right, but eventually a sack of coins dropped out, bearing 500G exactly. With the cash in tow I darted back towards town.  
  
...  
  
I remembered the little village better than I thought I did after I really got to slow down and look at it in the daylight. The seed shop was conveniently one of the first buildings in town. I was ready to take a break from being around lots of people anyways.  
  
As I walked in I was greeted by one of the most cheerful people I have seen in my life. Other than that though, it seemed like a completely normal shop with advertisements for seed and flowers.  
  
"Oh hello there! I'm Lillia," said the high pitched shop keeper." You must be the new farmer. We've got plenty of seed over here if you'd like! Turnips, cabbage, and potatoes are all in season!"  
  
"Thanks ma'am. I'll take some of the turnips and potatoes, please" I figured that if I couldn't make one of the two to go, I could always fall back on the other.  
  
"Well thanks! Have a great day Mr. Munich!" Lillia piqued.  
  
"Thank you again. And Mr. Munich is my father. I, on the other hand, am Jack" I stated. I didn't want everyone here to think of me as a proper gentleman-city slicker-thing.  
  
...  
  
By the time I reached the farm, I noticed a girl was playing with my dog. I also noticed three other things. One: this girl didn't look all that bad. Two: She looked my age. Three: Why should I care? Get a hold of yourself Jack, it's your first day here!  
  
I walked up and said what any other civilized person would say. "Hi."  
  
"Oh, hello!" the orange haired girl greeted me as if I was on her property. " My name is Ann. My dad sent me down here to make you an offer. You see, we don't have room for one of our horses, so we want to literally give him to you."  
  
" I couldn't do that!" I was utterly shocked  
  
" You can and you will. Besides, my brother can't race anymore anyways" the carrot top informed me.  
  
"Fine." I reluctantly agreed.  
  
"Good! Come by tomorrow sometime!" Ann said. There was so much excitement in her breath that she was almost yelling. " You'll need these, too!" With that, Ann threw up a bag of Grandpa's tools that were leaning against Sparky's coop. I had to take a step back to brace myself. These things were pretty heavy, which was kind of embarrassing. Ann could probably beat me up, I figured.  
  
Ann just decided to leave at that moment, her mind was probably somewhere else already. Right before she reached the gate however, she turned back and yelled "Nice cap!"  
  
"Thanks, you're the first to notice" I yelled back, slightly sarcastic. I then turned around and look at the fields. " Well Sparky, lets get started working, shall we?"  
  
...  
  
This farming job was turning out to be harder then I imagined. To start planting I had to slave away at clearing out all the old stumps and weeds. It was already 3 o'clock in the afternoon and I wanted to turn in, and I hadn't even started planting yet. But around that time the wind started to kick up, breathing a little life into me. By 6PM I had finally gotten the turnips and potatoes in, gave them a few shots of water from the nearby pond, and decided finally to head inside.  
  
...  
  
I noticed that Grandpa's TV was a bit. old to say the least. It was one of the first color televisions around back in the day. There were only three channels, which suited me just fine. One of the stations was a weather station, which is what I figured was what Grandpa needed when he bought the set. There was also an educational station that I didn't care for. Lastly there was a news station.  
  
" The annual Spring Rosebud horse racing invitational shall begin of the 17th of Spring. I hope you're all ready for an excellent turnout this year!" the TV blurted at me.  
  
So that's why Ann wants me to take the horse I figured. There's no way the horse will be big enough by then though if it's still a colt as it is.  
  
I went to bed that night and slept well. I had to face it. I was devastated.  
  
...  
  
The next day I made my way over to the Green Ranch after tending to the turnips and potatoes. As I came up to the gate I noticed that the road split here and also went down to the beach. I walked up onto the farm and was greeted by one bad looking fellow.  
  
"What're you here for?" said the capped man, a year or two older than I.  
  
"I need to see Ann about a horse" I replied back as naturally as I could.  
  
"Yeah." he said in reply. At that Ann came strolling out of the barn.  
  
"Hey there Jack! How ya' been?" Ann said with the usual excitement in her voice. "C'mon this way, I'll show you the colt!"  
  
I followed her into the pasture and the nearby barn, which looked about twice as large as the barn that was in shambles back at the farm. Ann did a strange whistling thing with her fingers, and a young tan colt galloped out of its stall to greet her.  
  
"He doesn't have a name yet" Ann said "So you have to name him yourself. His brother's name is Cliffguard."  
  
"Then I guess I'll name him Biffguard" I figured " Biff for short."  
  
Ann let out a sort of a snort, apparently thinking that my horse's name was rather funny. This kind of puzzled me. Biff is a perfectly good name.  
  
"Well, at least they rhyme" Ann said with a smile on her face. " You better get out of here now before Grey has anything to say about it."  
  
"Who's Grey?" I questioned.  
  
"That thing you met at the door is Grey. He's almost like a brother to me" Ann shot. Apparently Ann wasn't all that fond of her brother's attitude. With that I just left. I didn't want to meet Grey eye to eye again. He was someone to look out for.  
  
...  
  
The 8th day of Spring brought the Planting Festival, where the predetermined 'King' flies up in a blimp with an entourage and spreads seeds all over the land. Then everyone releases balloons in their hands. I thought it was a little silly, but hopefully it will bring good harvests.  
  
I didn't really know anyone there except Ann, Lillia the florist, and Grey, whom I wanted to steer clear of. So I figured staying with Ann was the best option. I didn't want to spend time around someone as old as Dad. I worked for those people for two long years. I just hoped Grey wouldn't beat me up for hanging out with his sister.  
  
I was having a generally good time with Ann. She seemed very excited and couldn't wait to let the balloon go in her hands. Just then Lillia approached me.  
  
"Oh hey Jack. How are those seeds going?" Lillia inquisited.  
  
"Great. They should be paying off soon if my guesses are right" I told her.  
  
"Say, have you met my daughter Popuri?" Lillia questioned.  
  
"Uhh.. No, I don't believe I have." I said, feeling rather awkward.  
  
"Well then Jack, see that girl over there who with the pink hair?" Lillia pried.  
  
You mean the girl that looks like you twenty years younger? I thought, but instead I just gave it my best. "Yeah."  
  
"Popuri, come here!" Lillia called.  
  
"Yes mother?" Popuri said as she approached with her frilly pink hair. " Oh, is this the new farmer?"  
  
"Yeah, my name is Jack" I announced a little louder than I should have.  
  
"Oh hehe" Popuri managed a fake laugh. " I hope you grow lots and lots of flowers on your farm, even now. You know, I love flowers, and it would be a shame if you didn't plant any. It would make me very happy if you did, and you do want to see me happy don't you?"  
  
"Yeah I guess," I said casually. A little too casually. That was obviously the wrong thing to say.  
  
"Humph" Popuri managed as she turned away and headed back into her crowd of friends. Lillia chased after her, telling her to be a little more respectful.  
  
"She'll be back, you know" Ann informed me. " She won't stay like that for long. It can be annoying, but sometimes its good thing Popuri is as shifty as they come!"  
  
At that the blimp soared off the ground. Its bonds we're obviously cut and a man, who appeared to be the potion shop dealer, soared into the air with a little boy, probably his grandson. One after another the balloons in everyone's hands flew into the air, and so did mine.  
  
...  
  
The next week flew by, with the harvest of the turnips and potatoes finally lining my pockets a little. It was turning out to be tough, but I was starting to get a hang of this farming thing. I started getting a routine down, and 6AM wasn't that bad anymore. Slowly the 17th of Spring rolled around, and while in the fields I realized something. The horse races were today! I finished watering my new installment of potatoes and turnips and ran off to town, hoping not to miss one of the races. I wanted to get a hang of these things before I actually had to race one.  
  
I figured I would just hang around with Ann again, since I rarely left the farm, and she was the only real friend I had that I could 'hang out' with. I just hoped she felt the same, and nothing more.  
  
I got to the races just in time to sit down with Ann. I figured she could tell me all about this horse racing thing anyways.  
  
"Hey Ann, what's going on?" I asked as I sat down next to her.  
  
" I'm psyched! This is going to be so exciting! Dad's racing next!" Ann practically screamed.  
  
Ann, you need to relax I thought to myself.  
  
"Ann you need to relax" came a voice. That wasn't my voice. It was impossible. I peered around to see who was on the other side of Ann. It was a brunette with green eyes who looked around the age of twenty. Perfect I thought. What am I thinking!? I thought again.  
  
"Yeah?" asked the brunette with a bite to her voice.  
  
"Oh Jack, this is Karen! I almost forgot, you guys have never met!" Ann piped up.  
  
"You could have spared me, Ann," barked Karen.  
  
What was I thinking? I thought again. As far as I could tell, Karen was as sharp as they come, but in a bad way.  
  
I sat for a few minutes in silence and watched the horse races. Ann sure was not silent though. She was the loudest person in the entire crowd!  
  
With the end of the race I felt someone sit down next to me. It must have been a muscular person. The bench really felt it when he sat down.  
  
"Sup?" asked the man sitting next to me.  
  
"Cliff?" I asked in astonishment.  
  
"Yeah, what's going on Farmer John?" Cliff asked with a smile on his face.  
  
I decided I'd play along. "Not bad Hobo Bob. You?"  
  
Cliff gave a chuckle, and for the first time I noticed how lithe and skinny he was. It was almost like he hadn't eaten in a week. Despite this, we just kept throwing jokes at each other all afternoon. He didn't seem like that bad of a guy after all.  
  
"Cliff, why are you talking to that guy? He's even wearing that goofed up hat!" Karen badgered.  
  
"I see you met my cousin Karen, eh Jack?" Cliff joked.  
  
At this point I really didn't care. " Yeah, I came out alive. I figured that I was pretty lucky," I told Cliff with a nudge in the ribs. " Kind of weird she's your cousin and all, didn't think that kind of stuff ran in your family." Our sides were splitting by the end of the day. Karen just gave me a dark look.  
  
...  
  
The horse races were all amazing. It was as if they were like the wind. On the journey back home I recounted all the things that happened. Getting my feet back on the farm I finally realized something: this is home. Before I headed inside the house to turn in for the night, I headed out to see Biff.  
  
"Next time buddy, we'll ride the wind," I whispered to him.  
  
...  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for having to take this down, but I skipped over a lot of problems accidentally on this chapter because of the god awful story creation program that is fanfiction.net. I guess I shouldn't be too harsh though. They're the reasons I'm even writing this. Thanks for your patience. 


	3. So Impossible

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 3: So Impossible  
  
The day after the horse races had started like any other day. I tended to the crops with Sparky and talked to Biff. But around 9AM, a bedraggled Cliff entered the yard. He fell onto his knees near my shipping crate with a glassy look on his eyes. My assumption from the day before was right. He hadn't eaten in days!  
  
" Cliff! Hold On!" I yelled to him. I grabbed the nearest thing to me- an almost ripe potato- and ran over to Cliff.  
  
" Here, eat this Cliff!" I said as I tried to cradle him from falling.  
  
" Ugh, thanks Jack" Cliff muttered as he gobbled down the potato  
  
"You can crash here for awhile. Don't worry about it" I said, trying to comfort him.  
  
" Nah, I think I'm good." Cliff said, but I knew better  
  
" At least stay for today and eat with me. Then I'll know you won't go and die or anything stupid like that" I reasoned.  
  
For the rest of the day I kept to the routine. Cliff would occaisonaly help me, but he wasn't in the greatest shape at the moment. By nightfall Cliff was preparing to leave when he brought up a strange topic.  
  
" Hey, have you heard about that Flower Festival thing going on the 23rd?" Cliff asked me. It sounded as if he didn't know exactly what he was talking about himself.  
  
" Nah, whats that all about?" I asked.  
  
" Its this thing where the 'King' guy from the last festival dances with a 'Queen' that the village votes on" Cliff informed me. " They have to dance together and all that rot. Get where I'm going with this?"  
  
" Umm.. No. No I don't" I said, slightly baffled.  
  
" We're going to vote for Karen! She hates this kind of stuff in public! And I know you saw the king. He's the old potion shop dealer! I figured it would be good for a laugh. You game?" Cliff had a maniacal look on his face.  
  
I just smirked at the crazy idea. " I don't think it would be that hard, except finding other people to vote on it. I know Ann has a cousin that runs the tool shop and all, and then there's Harris the mail man. I'm just not seeing how enough people could vote on it though."  
  
" We could always rig' it" Cliff suggested " Believe me Jack, she  
deserves it."  
  
" I never said she didn't Cliff. You just work your magic and I'll try to make this look as legit as possible."  
  
" Sounds cool bro, check you later!" And with that Cliff was out the door.  
  
I was wondering if Karen really deserved this, but it was all in fun. Besides, she made me look like an idiot yesterday. She probably has it coming anyways.  
  
...  
  
Over the next few days I tried to persuade as many people as possible. Ann's cousin, Rick, turned out to support it all the way. More then once did he visit his uncle's house when Karen was over with Ann and some not-nice feelings erupted. Harris the mail man was up for it too, which made me happy. He always stopped and talked to me when he dropped off the mail. The person I shouldn't have asked though was the vineyard worker named Kai. He got all defensive, saying that it was against 'Miss Karen's wishes'. I thought he was a little creepy, but there is some good in him.  
  
This was really a good experience in the long run though. I finally got the ambition to get out of the house and meet some people. In fact, it was so good that I actually had some friends now. Sure, I knew the mayor and his wife and daughter Maria, Basil and Lillia, the shop keeps of the seed and flower store, and Jeff and Elli, the bakers at Granny's bakery. But now I had friends that were my own age. Tonight was especially important because it was the 22nd, the night before the flower festival. Cliff, Rick, and Harris were going to meet me just outside of town for a night at the Inn to celebrate our victory.  
  
Just as we said so, we met outside of town and made our way towards the Inn. I waved to Granny sitting in her rocking chair as the sun slowly fell in the sky. It seemed they were just opening when we reached the Inn. We strolled in and sat at the nearest table and ordered a couple of rounds to sip while we talked about the master plan.  
  
" 'Aight guys, everyone do their parts?" Cliff questioned over our drinks.  
  
" You know I did" Rick said with a little smirk.  
  
" You brought the letter right Harris?" Cliff sounded almost demanding  
  
" Course I did" Harris said with some cheer in his voice.  
  
" Jack, how many people did you get to vote for Karen?" Cliff commanded again.  
  
" About 15, all and all" I replied  
  
" Ok, cool. Karen should be showing up soon so we can get this thing going" Cliff announced.  
  
" You invited her here?" I said in bewilderment.  
  
" She works here Farmer John" Cliff said sarcastically.  
  
Almost like magic the door opened and in stepped Karen. She shot one glance at our table and gave a look like "Ugh, why me?" After her denouncing glance she just walked back behind the counter and talked to the bar tender for awhile.  
  
" Now this is where it all comes together" Cliff announced, sounding victorius.  
  
Cliff and Rick walked up to Karen and started a conversation that sounded like the flower festival. I couldn't hear them very well, but Karen went behind the counter and pulled up a drink for each of them, then walked back to her post in the middle of the room while Cliff and Rick slugged away at the bar. Cliff shot Harris a look that told him to stand up and grab something out of his mail bag he always had with him. Harris handed the letter as it appeared to be to Karen and came and sat back down, looking nervously to Cliff and Rick. Cliff slugged down the last of his barley malt and slammed the mug on the bar. Then he and Rick rushed back over the table to take their seats, but only for a moment.  
  
" Umm. we gotta' go guys" Cliff said in a nervous tone.  
  
" Yeah, I wouldn't want to be around here when she opens that letter." Rick sounded nervous too.  
  
I took from their experience and left with the three of them post- haste. We weren't more than twenty feet out of the Inn when we heard something along the lines of:  
  
"AUGH!!!" in a voice that sounded almost like Karen.  
  
" Ha ha! We did it guys!" Cliff celebrated, dancing up and down in the street.  
  
" Nice trick you pulled there Cliff. Smooth move!" Rick seemed to be doing his own happy dance.  
  
" What'd you guys think of how I delivered the letter? I thought it was pretty good. I told her: Don't take this too bad or anything!" Harris sounded happy, which was strange. His voice was usually dull and boring.  
  
I just laughed to myself as we split our separate ways and went home.  
  
...  
  
The next day I was in a rush to do my chores so I could get to the square. Even if Karen wasn't going to be the 'Queen', it would be a pretty interesting day anyways.  
  
When I got to the square everyone was there except the mayor's daughter Maria, Granny's Grandaughter Elli, Popuri, Ann, and Karen. I stood by Cliff and waited for the best gag I've seen in awhile. Cliff and I just kept nudging eachother in the ribs when the crowd stopped talking. The mayor gave a nice long speech about the relevance of this festival, but I really didn't care.  
  
Once the mayor was done I saw Elli and Maria walk up the main stairs to the square with Popuri and Ann following suite behind them, and Karen stuck in the middle of them wearing the funniest dress made of flowers I had ever seen. She did not look happy though, that was for sure. Cliff and I broke out in laughter. Karen unfortunately saw us and gave sent a dark glare our way that could turn a black bear white with fear. But that fear subsided as the first dance began. Karen was coupled with the Potion Shop Master, which she obviously didn't agree with either.  
  
I figured to ask Ann for a dance, or else this festival would be pretty boring. Before long the first dance was underway and I noticed that Ann wasn't the greatest dancer in the world. I didn't really mind, but it was there. Sort of like those pages in books that are curled over and, as hard as your try, you can't put them back in their original position.  
  
After a few minutes the first dance was over and Ann's mind was obviously other places. She was such a scatter brain sometimes, but I found it humorous.  
  
" Who's that over there Jack?" Ann asked as she pointed to Cliff.  
  
" That's Cliff. He's a good guy. Why don't you do me a favor and ask him to dance?" I asked. I felt like being a little devious today. Cliff said he wasn't " the dancing type," so that was all the more reason to get Ann to dance with him.  
  
" You don't have to ask me to do it" Ann said with a smirk on her face.  
  
I amused myself with the sight. Ann first trotted over like always and asked Cliff to dance. Obviously he said no because Ann grabbed onto his wrist and started to pull him towards the dance area, but Cliff wouldn't budge. Finally Ann drug him into the dance area where he reluctantly started moving to the music.  
  
I saw that Karen was standing alone by the fountain, so I figured I would do either something really funny or really stupid. I'm not sure which would be which in this case.  
  
" Hey Karen" I began as I walked up to her. " Will you dance with me for this song?"  
  
Karen just glared at me with a look that said " Do you think I'm stupid?" She just reared her foot back and the next thing I knew I was on the ground rubbing my shin for dear life.  
  
" You could have been a little nicer about it!" I told Karen as she turned around and began to walk the other way.  
  
She stopped, and not looking back told me " I don't really understand how, but this is your fault. Thanks Jack. Thanks for being impossible!" Karen sarcasticly shot at me. " You know, I needed that ankle!" I shouted back at her, but she didn't seem to care.  
  
I figured that was enough, so I just packed up my stuff and prepared to go home.  
  
...  
  
With the closing days of Spring I finished off my last load of crops for the season. This linned my pockets well enough that I was able to invest in a chicken, which I planned to use to make more chickens. I could feel the days getting warmer as of late, and I knew summer was going to start rolling around soon. The Spring crops couldn't hold up very well to the warmer temperture, which made it a little more difficult to get around doing my daily things. I planned on taking a trip up to Moon Mountain on the last day of Spring after my chores were done, which didn't take long with all the crops taken off.  
  
The day in the mountains was quite enjoyable. I re-learned how to fish from Greg, which added a little flavor to my meals. I mingled with the carpenters and planned in the long term to get a kitchen and a bathroom added onto my house.  
  
It was a peacful stroll back until I heard a familiar scream from someone I didn't want to hear scream. I didn't even want to see her face.  
  
"AUGH!!! I can't believe you Dad! Just let me do what I want!" came the familiar scream of Karen. I climbed up the nearby rocky path to see a vineyard that was oddly familiar. A lot about Karen was oddly familiar, and that disturbed me. Karen just came storming off down the path, and I was in her way. I had to practically jump out of her way to save my life.  
  
I looked down the road to see who her father was, and I didn't like the sight. A large, gruff man who could probably beat the tar out of me. He gave me a glance and walked back into his house.  
  
I wasn't really sure now who I wanted to steer clear of more, Grey or Karen's Dad. Neither seemed very happy with me, so I just decided to stay away from both houses.  
  
...  
  
Author's Note: Yes, the title does make a refrence to Dashboard Confessional's album "A Mark. A Mission. A Brand. A Scar." Originally I was going to call it " The Ideal Harvest Moon 64 Fan Fiction," but I figured that was controversial. My chapters are all songs of some sort. Two of the bands I used song titles as chapters for are modern(one is dashboard confessional, as you pointed out.) The other four are from the 80s. I am really enjoying writing this for your information, and am very glad that you have reviewed it. I tried to throw in some dry humor to spice this story up a little. Just tell me what you think and everything will be cool. 


	4. Higher Power

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 4: Higher Power  
  
The first day of Summer was already turning out to be a scorcher already, and it was only 10AM. I had already made my way to the seed and flower shop to invest in a few tomato plants. The little red beauties had a high demand, and I was planning on filling that demand! Also, I could get multiple harvests off one plant! I thought I was in heaven!  
  
Pastor Brown talked to me as I was leaving the seed and flower shop about coming to church this weekend. I told him that I'd think about it, but I really didn't plan to go. I was never very big on religion back home, so why would I have a religious back bone here?  
  
After tilling up the ground and planting my new seeds- or gold mines rather- I headed inside to get myself some lunch and polish off my prize potato I was keeping. I was saving it for the Vegetable Festival, which I fully intended to win. I mean, there weren't that many other farmers around, it would be hard to beat me. Besides, I was really starting to get good at this farming thing anyways. I turned on the TV while eating my home- made fish and chips, and to my surprise, there was a festival this evening! Well sort of a festival. The Fireworks Festival would be tonight! I always loved the big fireworks as a kid in the city. I wondered where I would go however. It was never specified where the festival was going to take place, but I figured Ann would know.  
  
...  
  
Later that evening I dared to turn up at the Green Ranch to see what Ann was going to do. Not to my surprise, Ann bounced out of the house just as the sun began to set. But she seemed surprised to see me. Surprised in a bad way.  
  
" Err, hi Jack" Ann said, seeming a little uncomfortable.  
  
" Heya Ann. I was just wondering if you wanted to do anything tonight for the Fireworks Festival?" I asked.  
  
" Umm, about that Jack, I think we've seen enough of eachother for awhile" Ann answered. " Look, I know everyone thinks I'm a bubbly little balloon, but I have feeling Jack, and I don't want them hurt by being around you." Ann was almost crying  
  
" I don't understand, I never meant to-" I was dumbfounded  
  
" Jack, you're not that bad of a guy. You're good enough that you turn a few heads, and I don't want to be stuck in the middle of things if." Ann couldn't keep going. She just turned around and headed out in her pasture and sat down, stroking one of her sheep.  
  
At that point in time I thought I was the greatest moron in the world. I said all the wrong things, and now Ann acted like she hated me. The same frustration when dealing with my father began to build up in me again. I kicked at the ground, wondering why this happened to me.  
  
I began to walk without a purpose or direction now, thinking of everything that happened just now. All I wanted was to be Ann's friend. Before long I relized where I was. The Beach. The last place I wanted to be was the best place to see the fireworks, and this probably was it. The fireworks were a symbol of happiness, and I didn't feel like ever wanting to be happy again.  
  
" So, you get in a fight with Ann?" came the voice of all things cold and harsh.  
  
" Oh, it's you, I'm sorry" I said like a reflex. The last person I expected to see on the beach was Karen, yet she was right here, and I didn't even relize it until now. " I'll just leave I guess."  
  
" I'm not stopping you" Karen shot.  
  
I was fed up with all the trash Karen was sending my way, so just out of spite, I sat down next to her.  
  
" I would like to be alone, please" Karen said. It would have almost sounded polite, if not for the sarcasm that was Karen's trademark.  
  
" I really don't care, I'm sick of this Karen" I told her in defiance.  
  
" Maybe I don't understand why you wouldn't leave then" Karen shot at me.  
  
" Maybe I don't understand why you hate me so much" I told her while trying to calm myself down.  
  
" You want an honest answer?" Karen said with a sarcastic smirk on her face. " You're never going to make the cut on that farm. The dust storms will rise up and tear away all your crops, and then you won't have anything left. You are also the most arrogant person I've met in my life."  
  
" What are you talking about Karen?" the anger was welling back up, but I was determined to settle this feud once and for all. " Aren't you being just a touch hypocritical?"  
  
" Not in the least. You walked into this town and decided on a dime that you wanted that run down farm, and then you expect everyone to support you? You have to be kidding me. Sure, Popuri's family looks out for you, but you're their customer."  
  
An eye for an eye I thought. " I've seen your vineyard Karen, and it doesn't look the greatest-"  
  
*SLAP* straight across my face.  
  
" Take that back!" Karen commanded.  
  
" That offer's going to have to go both ways" I retaliated  
  
" Ok, fine!" Karen was really getting upset. She was on the verge of screaming. " I'm sorry, but that doesn't change the facts."  
  
" Fine. Sounds fair to me" I agreed. I just wanted some peace now  
  
" Now shut up" she told me. " The fireworks are about to start!"  
  
I figured Karen wasn't actually being mean when she said that. There was a genuine look of human anticipation in her eyes, something I thought impossible for her. The actual display was amazing. The sky was completely lit up in red, blue, yellow, green, and white light, and I completely forgot Karen was sitting 3 feet away from me.  
  
Within an hour, the fireworks display was over, much to my sadness. I was just beginning to pick my things up when Karen stopped me.  
  
" Hold on, where do you think you're going?" she questioned me.  
  
" Home I said, so I can go screw everything up" I said. In actuality I didn't mean any harm by it. I only meant it with some light headed sarcasm.  
  
" Not just yet" Karen told me as she ran over to me with something in her hand. " Please, if you would, help me set these up." She handed me a large firework. " I promise I'll leave you alone for the rest of the week or something, just help me out here."  
  
" Aight', sounds cool" I said calmly. I was thinking to myself three things. One: Yes! Yes! Yes!. Two: This is great! Three: I can't believe this. Is she actually being nice, or is she just using me as hired muscle? It didn't really matter though. My first two thoughts sort of overided my third thought.  
  
We set up the fireworks in silence. On occaison I'd send a glance her way, but she would just be fiddling with one of the rockets.  
  
" Want some help?" I called her way.  
  
" No, I got it" Karen managed, but it was obvious that she was having trouble.  
  
After all the rockets were set up we struck a match and began to light them all. They shot up one after another in a blaze of glory in bands of red and blue. We bagan to laugh at our acomplishment and we imagined all the people who were walking home right now that were amazed by the extra fireworks. Once all of the firworks were done and gone I picked my stuff up and began to leave.  
  
" Hey, thanks" Karen called after me.  
  
" No problem. You just keep up your end of the deal" I told her. I didn't want to give anything away so I just left at that.  
  
Walking past the Green Farm I saw Ann sitting in her pasture still with her sheep still, but someone else had joined her. That someone looked suspiciously like Cliff. I felt a little better about the whole situation. That must have been the reason why Ann didn't want me around tonight. Cliff the sly little- never mind. I just laughed to myself about the thought on the way home.  
  
...  
  
Over the next few days the winds began to pick up. It was rather refreshing in the Summer heat, but the wind was starting to get warmer as the days moved on. It was almost like a hot breeze.  
  
Finally on the Monday after the Fireworks Festival I saw something in the distance. I saw dust. Rolling dust, and it was going to consume the farm. Fortunatly the horse and chickens were in their pens, but nothing would shield my precious tomatoes from the wrath of the dust. I grabbed my tools and ran towards the door to the house. Sparky kept scratching the door tryign to get in as well. As I opened the door Sparky ran in front of me and knocked me off balance. My foot squished into something but I didn't care. I swung around and bolted the oak door shut. We were safe.  
  
I look down to see what I stepped in and found it was none other than my prized potato! I kicked my leg up to get the potatoe of the bottom of my foot, which flew up against the wall with a splat.  
  
" Why?! Huh why?!"I shouted out in anger. This had to be too much. "Why did this happen to me?! Huh God?!" but those words sunk into me like poision. Pastor Brown asked me to attend Church, which I completely forgot about. I just slumped down by my bed and just stroked Sparky with a blank look on my face. I knew what I had done wrong, and I still had a lot to learn about farming.  
  
...  
  
Two days after the dust storm was the Vegetable Festival, but I didn't even bother to go. I screwed up. Half my tomato plants were gone, my prized crop was squashed, and my animals were all hungry. I just sat at the table after eating lunch and thought about doing something I knew I would regret. I grabbed a pencil and paper and began to write a letter.  
  
Dear Dad,  
  
"I'm very sorry about the way I acted after the funeral. My deepest apologies. I acted on a rash decision, but that's my fate now. I've been hitting few stumps here and there, but I can do this. I know I can  
Boats don't come out here very often, as you know, but if you ever want to, feel free to visit. There are some people who I would like you to meet, if you ever get the chance. I'm keeping myself well fed, even though I have recently come to a rut. Theres plenty here for me to eat, but near half my crop was blown away recently. I also have a horse and a handful of chickens that are turning out quite nicely. I'm also planning on investing in a sheep or two soon. There is a large demand for wool right now, and I plan to fill it. Thank you for everything Dad. Everything you've ever given or taught me is helping me survive.  
  
Love, your son Jack  
  
I figured that fit the bill, so I just left to go outside and pet Biff. He was almost a full grown horse now, and soon I would have to train him for riding. I anticipated it though, I would never forget the thrill of the horse races.  
  
...  
  
The days that followed would be rather uneventful. I finalley got my tomato crop off, which did make a killing, but some of the fire for my job was lost. Rick came by for a short visit and Cliff went fishing with me for a day. I didn't dare ask him about his date, he might run me through.  
  
On the 16th of Summer I was taking off my second harvest of tomatoes when the Potion Shop master approached me.  
  
" Hey son. Having a rough time as of late?" the Potion Master inquired.  
  
" To be perfectly honest, yes. My tomatoes are only now starting to pay off" I replied. " I don't know how Grandpa had such luck with his farm."  
  
" Well why don't you ask him boy" The Potion Master said. I was begginging to think the Potion Master was a walking fortune cookie.  
  
" I can't. He died, remember?" I said as politely as possible.  
  
" Don't be daft boy" the Potion Master almost scolded me. "You're still new to the Church, but you have to watch your TV every now and then. You know the Firefly Festival is coming up tomorrow. You'll be able to ask him then."  
  
" I don't understand. You're not making any sense" I told him. I was beginning to lose my patience.  
  
" Bah!" the old man was obviously losing his patience as well. " You send one of the lights out in a flower, sort of as a prayer. Perhaps your Grandpa might answer the flower, no? You have to learn to see beyond what your syes show you. Maybe you can learn to read people too. Those folk are always the best ladies men, which no doubt is a status you want to obtain."  
  
" Erm, thank you. Its just been rough around here lately" I informed the Potion Master.  
  
" It has been for all of us boy. Now, lets take a look at this house here. We could use a few extensions, don't you think? I can see a kitchen right here. And over there could be a bathroom, don't you think. Of course you will need lots of lumber, everything needs lumber" The Potion Master began to trail off towards the house, but he had my full attention. Right now this old man was the best friend in the world. 


	5. Don't Stand So Close To Me

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 5: Don't Stand So Close To Me  
  
The next day brought renewed hope to me. If the Potion Shop Master was right that the Firefly Festival would be something to see. It was at night, for obvious reasons, so I worked on all my chores for the morning first.  
  
I tended to my tomatoes that were once again ripening by carefully watering the red treasures. I also cared for my newly planted corn seeds that were starting to sprout up from the brown earth. I looked ahead and relized that the only seeds that Basil and Lillia would have during the fall were egg plants, which didn't have that large of a demand on them. I had to make as much money as I could now to keep myself afloat during the Fall.  
  
I walked into the chicken coop to see the two chickens of my happily walking around and fluffing up their feathers to eachother.  
  
" Good morning Mimi" I told my hen as I let her eat some seed from my hand.  
  
My rooster didn't like not being fed and flapped his wings as if he was going to try and put me in line.  
  
" You typical old crow" I told the rooster with a smirk. " Don't think I forgot about you Captain Scabb!" I laughed at the genius name I had given to my rooster. It never got old.  
  
I headed into the barn to see my pair of sheep, Fluffy and Fuzzy, and their lamb Fluzzy. I couldn't think of a new name for their lamb, so I just mixed the two. I sheared the wool of Fluffy and gave them all a good pet with some fodder to nibble on, and then I was out the door.  
  
Today I figured that Biff was big enough where I could try to saddle him. I think I learned enough from Ann to get this thing down. But as soon as I put the saddle on Biff's back he bucked it off onto the ground.  
  
" Now c'mon Biff, it won't be bad" I said as I tried to calm the horse down.  
  
I tried and tried all day to get that horse to take the saddle, but to no success. Finally at long last though Biff let the saddle lay on his back. I figured that was good enough for right now at least, so I headed inside to eat a late lunch.  
  
...  
  
The Potion Shop Master decided to come over for a visit while I was eating lunch, which was a surprise.  
  
" Why'd you come over?" I asked him at my small table.  
  
" Because I want to see you do two things boy" the Potion Shop Master informed me. I want to see you suceed, and I want to see you in a decent house. This is no way for you to live."  
  
" But." I began. " No one else wants to see me suceed. I mean, I've talked to Ann's dad before, he figured that I had my work cut out for me. That means he thinks I'll fail. Everyone I've seen at the vineyard thinks I'll fail too, even though they're all hypocrits." I was trailing off now. " Which I really don't understand their theories anyways. I'm doing great with the exception of the dust storm earlier."  
  
" Theres more to this farm then just making money Jack" the Potion Shop Master told me in yet another riddle. He sort of reminded me off that Yoda character I saw in a movie when I was a kid. " You consider your Grandpa succesful, right?" the Potion Shop Master inquired.  
  
" Yeah, he could run this farm like nobody else!" I told the old man, but of course he already knew.  
  
" Yes, but none of these barns weren't here before your Grandpa. He hired the carpenters and helped them build both of them, and the silo." The Potion Shop Master was only starting to make sense. " Your Grandpa was also married, Jack."  
  
" What!?" I was dumbfounded. This old man actually wanted me to look for a girl in this crazy village. " There isn't a single girl here that-"  
  
" Sure there is!" the old man said as he gave an uneasy glance towards me. " There's Ann. You were hanging around her for awhile, but it seems that friend of yours, Cliff, has taken for her as of late." The Potion Shop Master was confusing me again. " There's Elli who works at the bakery, but that wouldn't go over all that well. You are probably looking for someone who can really help you around here. Am I right?"  
  
I was taken back by the comment. "I guess so."  
  
" Then the Mayor's daughter Maria wouldn't be what your looking for either." The old man was really narrowing down my choices. " The only other eligible girls your age around here would be Karen and Popuri. They both know how to work. Popuri was raised in Basil and Lillia's shop. Believe me, she knows how to plant and harvest" the Potion Master informed me. I never really thought about Popuri, but I could try it. She seemed like an emotional storm at the Planting Festival, but that was quite awhile ago now. " Last of all" the Potion Shop Master continued " there is Karen." I turned my head to the floor. I was feeling red. " She knows how to work, and work hard. During the day she works on her father's vinyard, and then by night she works at the Inn. Not to sound materialistic Jack, but if you want a challenge-" I decided to cut the Potion Master off.  
  
" I know, but I never really thought about this" I informed the old man.  
  
" Course' you haven't. I didn't until I was older than you. But that's where I messed up. I lost the woman I really loved because I wanted to wait until I was thirty before I got married, and it cost me. I lost her, and I'll always remember that." The Potion Master had a sad look in his eye. " Now come on boy, or we'll be late for the festival."  
  
I decided to say something I thought I'd never say again. " Comming Grandpa."  
  
...  
  
We strolled down to the beach without saying a word to eachother. I was thinking of exactly how smart the Potion Master was. He was wise well beyond his years.  
  
We seemed to be the last to arrive at the beach. Everyone else had already arrived and were holding their firefly lights in their hands. The mayor handed me one of my own firefly lights, which was truly beautiful. It glowed a beautiful pinkish-red that was the essence of sureal beauty. I just sat on the edge of the beach imagining what it could do. It was so warm and calming. It made me feel happy.  
  
Finally the mayor gave the word to release the lights. Everyone, one by one, let their lights float out to sea. It was a beautiful spectacle to see the sea lit up in a pink flare, but I knew what I had to do.  
  
"Grandfather in heaven, please, give me strength to complete the tasks you bestowed onto me. I am still learning, and I need strength. I promise you, I'll finish what you began. Just like Alpha and Omega, I'll bring this farm into what you wanted it to be. Amen." I got choked up just by muttering those words.  
  
I looked around to see what everyone was doing. They, like me, were muttering prayers to loved ones. Once everyone was done they slowly began to cycle back into silent talking. I saw that Karen, however, was standing on the dock alone. I figured I would try my chances and try to talk to her. I hadn't seen her since the Fireworks Festival anyways.  
  
As I walked over I heard her muttering to herself a prayer. I hadn't relized that she wasn't done yet, so I just kept my distance. I did over hear the end of her wishes though.  
  
" Please Grandmother. Please let us find out how you made Heaven's Gate. The vineyard is in deep trouble otherwise." Karen said, sounding almost afraid. That baffled me. I never thought I would hear Karen speaking in fear. I thought she was made of nails.  
  
" Erm. Karen?" I asked.  
  
" Yeah, what Jack?" Karen asked without even turning around.  
  
" I'm sorry, I over heard you" I informed her. I felt guilty enough as it was.  
  
" It wasn't anything you didn't know already" Karen shot. She obviously wasn't in the best mood.  
  
" I'm sorry. I never relized how deep of trouble your vineyard was in." I felt ashamed.  
  
" You would have found out sooner or later the way you follow me around" Karen said. Obviously she wasn't taking my apology.  
  
" We made a deal Karen." I reminded her.  
  
" That was awhile ago now" Karen reinforced. " Besides, the deal was for a week."  
  
" Heh. You get a memory to last a lifetime and I get to be your friend for a week" I said sarcasticly I was starting to lose my patience.  
  
" I'll forget about it soon enough. Once you head back to the city everyone will forget you ever existed" Karen interjected.  
  
Anger was bubbling up in me. " Why whenever I see you do we have to argue? I don't get it."  
  
" Haven't we been over this before Jack?" Karen badgered.  
  
" That's an excuse. If you had a real reason you wouldn't hold back. You did the same thing last time." I was determined to win this argument.  
  
" I'm holding back because..." Karen was having trouble getting these words out of her mouth. ". because you're a nice guy Jack. In reality you're just like everyone else here, and that's why I want out of here. I hate it here if you couldn't tell."  
  
" And I'm an obstacle?" I declared to her. I knew this was the truth, but I shouldn't have mentioned it to her.  
  
Finally Karen whirled around to look at me square in the eyes. I didn't relize how close I was standing to her until she was face to face with me, which couldn't have been more than 5 inches.  
  
" Don't stand so close to me" Karen ordered me in a subtle, shaky voice.  
  
I decided I would just back off after all. I had blown it this time, once again, to best her in an argument, but I wasn't going to give up. Backing away I gave her a glance that sent the message 'this isn't over' to her before stepping off the dock and preparing to go home.  
  
...  
  
I was absent minded the next few days while doing my chores. I was an obstacle to Karen, but I didn't quite undestand. I thought that the vineyard and her family would keep her here, but she didn't seem to have the best father as far as I could tell. I never met her mother, but I didn't assume that she was some sort of haven for Karen when she was feeling down. Kai worked there as well, but he seemed distant to everyone, as far as I could tell. I was beginning to feel sorry for Karen. But I still couldn't get it out of my head why Karen would view me as such a threat.  
  
At that moment, lightning struck in my mind! Of course, there was one other relative Karen had that I hadn't thought of. The two of them were so different I hardly considered them family. I needed to see Cliff. The thing was, I didn't really know where Cliff stayed during the day. I figured Harris might know though.  
  
...  
  
" Hey Harris!" I practically jumped on top of the poor guy when he was delivering my mail. " Do you know where I could find Cliff?"  
  
" Ah sure, but keep on the down low, aright?" Harris bargained.  
  
" Sure, anything. I just want to see him." My heart was turning like a race horse.  
  
Harris led me up into Moon Mountain, after traveling up a twisting trail we finally came to a small cave.  
  
" This is it!" Harris said with some cheer in his voice.  
  
" Thanks a million Harris. I owe you one" I promised him as he departed.  
  
The cave was quite gloomy, but it was dry. I traveled down the twisting cave, trying to find the ever-elusive Cliff. I figured I was going in circles. I must have been looking around for ten minutes before I saw a flicker of light.  
  
After swinging around the next turn I found the flicker of light, but I didn't expect to see what was about to happen next.  
  
"Cliff?"  
  
...  
  
Author's Note: Why did I do an entire chapter solely on the Firefly Festival? Because I read the other fan fictions for Harvest moon and find that they commonly skip this one or briefly skim it over while giving more memorable festivals, such as the flower festival, a whole chapter to itself. This way I feel as though I'm setting my fan fic apart fom the others. Also, most Harvest Moon fan fictions look mostly or solely at the romance area of the game, which is fine and dandy. I just didn't want my fic to be along the same wave lengths of the other Harvest moon fics. The romance of Harvest Moon is a very large part of the game itself, but it isn't the game. ( However, yes, I do relize I skipped over the Vegetable Festival, but it was an important plot element)  
  
Author's Tip: Listen to the song that has the same title as the chapter for better effect and lasting experience! 


	6. Not Enough

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 6: Not Enough  
  
What I saw was surely not Cliff, or at least I hoped not. A small creature measuring up to two feet tall was dancing around a fire. It took a few minutes for the little guy to realize I was there, but once he did he let out a blood-curdling yell.  
  
" UN-RAY!!!" the frightened creature screamed out.  
  
" Wait!" I yelled after the little fellow.  
  
The creature ran down into a small hole and out of view.  
  
" It's not like I'm going to eat you!" I wasn't really sure what was going on, but the poor little guy was afraid of me. Unknown to me, someone else was moving around in the shadows.  
  
" Jack? Is that you?" came a familiar voice.  
  
I whirled around to see Cliff illuminated by the fire.  
  
" Why are you here? How'd you find this place?" Cliff kept questioning me. It was almost like he didn't want me here.  
  
" Harris showed me. It took awhile to manage this cave though," I answered.  
  
" Well, no matter I guess. You're here, so what's up?" Cliff was just full of questions today.  
  
" I was wondering about your cousin, Karen. What's up with her? Anytime I talk to her she acts like a-" Cliff decided to cut me off.  
  
" Sit down Jack, this will take us a moment or two." Cliff let out a big sigh as he sat down on a nearby rock, and by a 'moment or two' I assumed he meant a good twenty minutes. No matter, I had time.  
  
" My cousin Karen seems rough on the outside" Cliff began.  
  
" Yes, we've established that on multiple occasions" I reminded him.  
  
" She has some problems with her parents that you can't even begin to imagine" Cliff started again. " Lets start with her father. That will be best. You've seen that they don't get along, right?" Cliff questioned.  
  
" Yeah, I don't think I'd get along with him either" I told Cliff.  
  
" I doubt anyone could. You see, he's a bit of a drinker. By a bit I mean he drinks all his troubles away. Regularly." Cliff said with a sad look on his face. " He prides himself on taking over the vineyard from his father and mother, but he was and never will be the worker his parents were. He sees his vineyard dying because of it, but he's so proud he's blind to his own actions. He doesn't realize he's the one killing it." Cliff looked like he'd never be happy again.  
  
" But how does that affect his daughter?" I asked.  
  
" Karen sees the problem, but she wants to get out of it. She's always wondered about the big city, and with the dying vineyard she seems to not have much reason to stay. The only other reason would be her family" Cliff continued. " But her family isn't strong enough to keep her here. Her father is ashamed that she wants to move to the city and will do anything to stop her. He's even resorted to physically trying to put her down."  
  
" Well what about her mother?" I asked.  
  
" I'm getting to it" Cliff said, slightly taken back by my comment. " Now, recall about her father being a drinker. Well, Karen's Dad thinks even less of what he's doing when he's drunk, so there have been some real bad experiences. Also I think an issue is that Karen's father wanted a boy to take over the vineyard, but Karen obviously isn't a boy. I figure that's where Kai comes in. Kai is a hard worker that's loyal to the family. But he's filling Karen's head with stories about the big city and how wonderful it can be." Cliff was finally starting to get somewhere. "Her mother is dead as well."  
  
" What are you talking about Cliff? I saw her at the Firefly Festival" I informed him.  
  
" Dead on the inside Jack. Dead on the inside." Cliff had a sad, yet angry, look to him now. He was shaking and trembling, but he probably didn't realize it. " My uncle killed her. He turned her into a docile watcher, a shell of what she used to be. He never meant it, but he crafted her into something..no, nothing. She is almost like nothing now. Karen is a lot like my aunt used to be. I'm afraid if she's stuck around her dad much longer the same will happen to her. She needs to get out of her house, but she sees the only way of escape is the big city." Cliff gave out a sigh. " That's about all I know, I'm afraid."  
  
" That's plenty Cliff. Thank You a million" I praised him, and with that I left, completely forgetting about the small elf-like creature.  
  
...  
  
My mind wasn't on my chores for the next few days. Even while harvesting my corn, which I took great pleasure in, my mind was on what Cliff talked to me about. My mind was rarely on my crops lately, as I realized. What Karen had to put up with everyday began to bother me to the point where I was losing sleep. It was driving me mad. I had to find a way to get my mind off her and her problems. I had to find an outlet.  
  
Fortunately, that outlet would arrive in the way of a festival. A real festival. A man's festival. A competition. A swimming race, to be precise, and I intended to win.  
  
I was always a good swimmer in High School. I was never on the swim team, but I could give some of them a run for their money. I was always to busy training for track to swim competitively, however.  
  
The day of the festival, the 24th of the Summer, sort of snuck up on me even though I was anticipating it. When I arrived to the beach I was startled by a funny sight. Cliff was there in a swimsuit! I never thought I'd see that guy loosen up enough to come here, but then again he probably just got in an argument with Grey at the Inn over who was better at something.  
  
" Hey Hobo Bob, this is the last place I'd expect to see you on the dying days of Summer" I laughed as I walked towards Cliff.  
  
" Cut the crap Farmer John, I'm going to take you to town!" Cliff laughed with a friendly competitive look on his face. He was all buisness today, no doubt.  
  
The other swimmers that were there were Jeff the bakery master, Kai, Harris, and of course, Grey. All of them looked eager for a good competition, which I planned on giving them. Well, except maybe Grey. He didn't look too excited to be here.  
  
" Line up gentlemen along the tape here" the mayor informed us. " I want this to be clean, you hear me? Good." The mayor answered his own question.  
  
After filling in my positition in the 'box' labeled number 5, in between Cliff and Kai, the mayor spoke up again.  
  
" At the sound of the gun you'll run into the water and swim your way to the red buoy out there, which is approximately 150 yards away. There are markers at every fifty yards to tell you how far you've swum. God luck and may the best swimmer win!" the mayor shouted with some flair to his voice.  
  
I turned around one last time to see the whole village behind me, cheering, but none was for me. That just gave me all the more reason to beat all these people. I turned back around with a stern eye to view my destination and cleared out everyone's voices. The mayor was about ready to fire the gun.  
  
Kapow!!! Off went the gun, and so was I. I got far enough until my calves were almost completely covered in water and then I made a forceful dive. As I emerged from the blue I saw that Cliff was right with me, but I saw no one else anywhere near. I was doing the best front crawl I could, but every time I brought my head out of the water I saw Kai to my right pull a little closer to me. By the time we reached the 100-yard marker we were neck and neck, but he was slowly pulling ahead of me. I started to feel the drive of anger rush up in me, but I knew I had to keep my cool. Cliff was right behind me, and one false move could easily put me in third. I just steadied my pace for one final surge in the last ten yards to gank the lead from Kai. Soon the magic ten came up, and off I went. I pushed my self to what seemed to be the envelope of human capability in water. Soon I heard the mayor screaming at me about going to far, so I looked up and realized I was already 5 feet past the buoy, and I had to face the inevitable. I had lost. Kai was thrusting his arms up in victory. I had lost yet again.  
  
As I made my way up shore I saw Cliff strolling over my way, although he, like me, looked as if he would never be able to walk again on his own two legs.  
  
" Well Farmer John" Cliff began as he sat down next to me. " I was catching up to you. I would have had you beat if we had another fifty to swim. No, don't argue, you know it's the truth. You can't tell me otherwise." With that Cliff just left after having an argument with himself. I humored myself with the idea of Cliff having split personalities, but figured that it was just his way of saying good-bye. I dried myself off and just left, and I didn't care what anyone else thought or said. I was almost glad I didn't win. Rick kept boring Kai with the great prize he had gotten for winning first place. I left alone, just as I had come, but all the more thrilled. It was not enough to win, but I honestly didn't care.  
  
...  
  
The ending days of Summer would be an odd time for me. I was determined to figure out what festivals would be coming up so that I could keep in practice for them. The news wouldn't tell me that far in advanced, so I decided the Inn would be the next best place to find out.  
  
It was crowded that night at the Inn, but not enough to remind me of the city. The calendar of events for Fall comprised of many promising festivals. First there was the Cow Festival that, while interesting, would be hard for me to enter without a cow. I could learn a lot about cows from it anyways. There was the Harvest Festival that reflected on the growing season of the year, which would be interesting as well.  
  
But I was looking for something athletic. Something fresh. Something eggy. The Egg Festival was what I was looking for. A test of speed and reasoning to find the correct egg at the right time. Perfect. It would be small step, but a step none the less.  
  
Much to my excitement, on the waning days of Fall would be another horse race that I could actually enter. I realized that my chances were slim with having such a young horse and such little time for training, but I could see what I was made of none the less.  
  
I saw that the night was still young, so I sat down to have a barley malt when I noticed Rick sitting at a table with Ann.  
  
" Hey guys, what's going on?" I asked as I approached them.  
  
" Ah, nothing. Just talking about this and that, you know" Rick informed me.  
  
" What's been going on with you Jack?" Ann asked.  
  
" About the same as you guys. Just checking out what's coming up during the Fall," I told them.  
  
" You were great at the Swimming Festival the other day, you know that?" Ann prided me. " I was cheering for you, and so was Rick. Weren't cha' Rick?" Ann asked her cousin with a piercing look.  
  
" Sure was. I was hoping you would win Jack. Maybe then you could be respected a little more, you know what I mean? I know you don't hear much about it, but a lot of people have doubt in you even yet. They say you can't settle down here, that you're too much of city folk. I try to tell em' all otherwise, but most don't want to listen." Rick was really hammering out the truth.  
  
" The Potion Master keeps telling me that too, but he's actually trying to help. He's getting all the estimates to have a kitchen added to the house now." I was feeling a rush of pride and gratitude in him.  
  
" I don't think people will think that you're serious about this farm until you actually try to settle down with someone though Jack." Rick gave me a sneering look.  
  
I felt some gloom set down in me. " The Potion Master says that too."  
  
" Why don't you try asking someone out then Jack?" Ann asked as innocently as possible.  
  
" Easier said then done, for me anyways. I saw you and Cliff though before. Apparently he doesn't have the problems with this sort of thing like I do," I told Ann with a friendly grin.  
  
Ann turned as red as an apple. " Well. that's different!" Ann said with a blush.  
  
I laughed at how it could be any different. " Well what do you expect me to do in a situation like this then? It's not like I really know any of the girls around the village that are twenty years old besides you."  
  
" Ask Karen" Ann implied as simply as possible.  
  
" What?! Are you insane Ann? I value my life!" I was in utter shock.  
  
" Ok Jack, but you might regret it. You never know, she might say yes," Ann told me with a wink.  
  
" Here's what I'll do for ya' buddy. I'll ask her for you in the way of a hypothetical question. She probably doesn't even realize you're in here," Rick said with a devious grin. " Then you can take it from there."  
  
" If you say so Rick," I reluctantly agreed.  
  
Rick strolled over to Karen at her usual post in the center of the room in his usual step and began a mumbled conversation with her. It was always so hard to hear anything in here, especially on busy nights like tonight. Yet out of all noise pollution I heard a solid and stable "No!" come from Karen's direction.  
  
Rick slugged back to the table and sat down. " Well, so much for that idea" Rick shot up with a note of disappointment in his voice.  
  
" I figure I'll just head on home," I declared as I finished my barley malt.  
  
As I said my good byes I figured that I owed Cliff another visit on this one. But not just yet. He seemed very troubled over the last talk. I didn't want to stir up any bad blood. But I wanted to learn more, and I wanted to know about those little elf creatures most of all. 


	7. So Tell Me Why

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 7: So Tell Why  
  
Fall was upon our Flower Bud village, and with its coming everything seemed to slow down. The only thing that didn't seem to slow down was Church, which was dreadfully slow anyways. The only seeds that Lillia had coming in now were eggplants now. They were kind of a hodge podge of all the crops that I had grown so far. The had the growing length near that of cabbage, the replanting effect that tomatoes had, and sold for the price near potatoes. I didn't like it one bit.  
  
" But really, what did the apostles see when Christ transfigured on top the mountain?! We don't really know, and lets face it folks, they probably didn't know themselves. But, it is said that they stood in awe at what came upon them" Pastor Brown preached.  
  
Pastor Brown's homily awoke me from my trance. I had realized I was day dreaming for a good ten minutes at least. I felt a little embarrassed. Everyone was sitting down, but I was still standing from the liturgy. I quietly sat down while feeling my face go red.  
  
Once the mass was over people flooded out the doors to get on with their daily lives. I had to say, the religious life was growing on me. I always felt a little bit better about myself when I left then when I came in. But now I had work to do. Most of my profit was coming from my animals, but eggs didn't sell for very much money and I could only sheer my sheep every so often. Egg plants, like I said, didn't sell very well for their growing time. It just seemed that I was working harder than ever before, yet reaping less rewards.  
  
...  
  
The Cow Festival came around on the 8th of Fall, and while not very exciting, I was planning on buying a calf while at the festival. The festival was to be held at the Green Ranch, which was rather surprising. It made sense though, they had all the buildings needed to operate just about any festival to do with animals.  
  
I strolled the tables and tasted some of the milk samples, which was what would be primarily used to judge the cows. Some were good and some were bad. But the cow the Green farm entered gave excellent milk. It was the undecided victor.  
  
I was curious that Ann was nowhere to be found. I had a hard time thinking of anything Ann would rather do than something like this on a day like today. I curiously strolled around the farm looking for her, weaving in between people. I looked in the barn, but to no success. I looked out the paned window on the far side of the barn out into the horizon, wondering where the heck Ann could be. I looked straight down the window now out of despair and saw exactly what I was looking for. Well not exactly, but it was Ann nonetheless!  
Ann was snuggling up next to my best friend. I felt astonished, I never though that Cliff, of all people, would make a physical display of affection. I suddenly rembered a song called "My Best Friend's Girl" by The Cars back in the city. For a moment a realized how much I missed that band, but was more affixed to watching Cliff try to woe a girl. I figured that I was invading their privacy, so I just headed out to watch the rest of the festival.  
  
The Green cow, of course, won the competition. I would have complained otherwise. Now they were bidding on three calves. I wanted the one from the Green farm most of all, which was going to be the last one to bid on. The other two calves easily went for a fair price, but I figured that this next calf would be pricier.  
  
" Now, may I introduce the newest calf of the Green farm!"? Doug, Ann's father announced. " Bids start at 2000G!"  
  
" I'll bid on your calf for that price!" announced one man from the crowd.  
  
" That's hardly a fair price! 2400G!" announced another.  
  
" Pfft! 2700G!" shouted a third.  
  
" 3000G then!" yelled the first man.  
  
" 3500G is my bid!" shouted the third. I saw the second man back off, a little flustered.  
  
" 3800G!" the first man reinstated. The third man seemed to back off as well. The first man had a triumphant look on his face. He seemed to be dressed in very noble clothes. But what was he going to use it for? Make money off of it at other festivals? I could actually use it. I decided to take a gamble. A big gamble.  
  
" 4000G!" I yelled!  
  
" Well son, you're a high roller aren't you?" said the man from across the crowd. " 4100G!"  
  
I didn't want to play this silly game. I wanted the cow. " 4500G!" I shouted in defiance. At that my opponent just shut up and left. I felt good about myself, like I had just beat the bad guy.  
  
" Sold to Jack Munich of Munich farms down the road!" Doug shouted out. He seemed to have a happy face, which was excellent. He was one of my biggest opposers against me running the farm.  
  
Doug jumped of the stand and walked up to me. " Excellent boy! With this calf you can start your own ranch!" Doug had a pleasant look on his face.  
  
" Now wait just a minute Doug!" roared a man from behind me. " You don't honestly think he can handle this calf do you?" came Karen's father.  
  
" Donavan, we've had this discussion before!" Doug was defending me, much to my astonishment. " I've had my doubts about him, but he can do it. He's part of our community now!"  
  
"I agree, he's made a man of himself" came the voice of Basil. " I want to see him be part of our village, be welcomed in by our family, marry our children, have our grandchildren. Don't you get it Donavan?" Basil inquired. " This boy is the future of this village! We can't stop him from being human. We can't stop him from living here."  
  
Karen's father just stalked off the Green farm. I turned around to meet my defenders with a smile.  
  
" Thank you. Thank you both!" I hugged them around their necks, finally feeling like I belonged here.  
  
" Its alright boy, you've made it here, you deserve it. Just loosen up a little!" Doug gave with a chuckle.  
  
" Just head on home son. Everything's going to be fine" Basil reassured me.  
  
I walked home with my new calf, feeling a little bit better about myself.  
  
...  
  
The next few days in the field were easy. I just had to water my eggplants and tend to my animals. I was now vigorously training for the upcoming horse race, however. The days were getting a bit colder for the Fall weather, but I didn't mind. This farm made me as tough as a rock.  
  
Rick and Ann even decided to visit one day for lunch to talk about the Harvest Festival.  
  
" So, you have a date yet?" Rick questioned as he gulped down a sandwich.  
  
" I'm supposed to try and find one?" I said sarcastically.  
  
" Who're you going to ask? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Ann prodded as if I was planning on asking someone.  
  
" I didn't really plan on it Ann. What about you?" I gave her a sly look.  
  
" Oh yeah, about that. Um. Cliff is going to take me. He's so great, isn't he?" Nothing seemed to phase Ann. " Why don't you try asking Karen?" What was with her trying to get me together with Karen?  
  
" Ann, we already had this discussion," I said as I turned my tone more serious. " I think I'll just solo it this time," I told the cousins.  
  
" Ok, if you say so Jack, but if you keep waiting they're won't be any girls left!" Ann told me with a wink.  
  
" I don't know what to tell ya' buddy. It just seems there isn't anyone here for you." Rick looked glum.  
  
" Don't say that!" Ann shot out like Rick had just said a horrible curse. " But how is Jack going to find out if he doesn't try and ask some people?" Ann reasoned.  
  
" I'll dance with a few people there and see where it goes from there, Ann. Deal?" I bargained with her.  
  
" Deal!" she said like a firecracker.  
  
...  
  
The Harvest Festival came around quickly, but I was ready for it. I had to be ready for it. Ann wouldn't leave me alone about it. I strolled up the main street as what Ann entitled as "the magic day that I would find someone." I wasn't sure who though. Perhaps Maria, she always seemed like a nice girl. Somewhere in my mind floated around some thoughts of Karen. Shallow thoughts, but thoughts none the less. I just wished she would open up to me.  
  
I made my way the square and saw that most people we're already there. I always seemed to be almost late for these festivals. They were already trying to pick a 'King' out of cakes that Elli was handing out, but no one had found the winning token in their cake yet. I strolled up and got my own piece of cake and sat down next to Popuri. I might as well try to find someone to dance with today.  
  
" Oh hey Jack!" Popuri was rather excited to see me, apparently.  
  
" Hey Popuri" I replied, beginning to nibble away at my cake. " Will you have the first dance with?" I decided to go for it bait, line, and sinker.  
  
" Sure Jack! I was really hoping you'd ask this time. I didn't get to dance with you last Spring!" Was Popuri on a sugar rush, or was she always like this? It startled, almost disturbed me, that she was keeping track since the Flower Festival.  
  
" Ouch!" I yelped as I bit into something hard. I pulled a gold coin out of my mouth. That meant the I was 'King', unfortunately. I did make a scene though about being 'King' but I didn't bother gloating about it to my friends or anything.  
  
Several people congratulated me, but soon the first dance was underway. Popuri was a respectable dancer, but sometimes she seemed to get ahead of herself out of excitement. She stared deep into my eyes and never let up, which was a little scary. I realized that this girl was not the way to go if I was looking for a long-term relationship.  
  
Soon the first dance was over, so I thanked Popuri and looked to find a different girl to dance with. Maria seemed like a fine partner, so I walked over and sat next to her.  
  
" Hey Maria. What's going on?" I asked.  
  
" Oh. Hi Jack" Maria responded with her usual shy tone.  
  
" Would you like to accompany me in this next dance, my fair lady?" I asked her as properly as I could. It was tough though. I never said anything that complex in my life outside of Mr. Brent's Physiology class in High School.  
  
Maria was just as good as, or possibly better dancer than Popuri. She moved in sync with me, but she seemed just the opposite of Popuri. She fell behind occasionally, probably from her timid attitude, but proved to be a fun partner otherwise.  
  
The second dance was over just as quickly as the first. Maria was a truly great person, but the spark just wasn't there to get things going. I looked at her more like a friend than anything else.  
  
" This next song is for that special person of yours," said one of the musicians, trying to levitate the mood for the next dance.  
  
I tried to think of asking someone else to dance, but I couldn't. I had two options. Dance with Karen or dance with no one. I decided to go with the former rather than the later. I looked around to find Karen from my bench but I couldn't seem to find her anywhere. All I could really see was the big mass of people. Worst of all, Ann and Cliff we're dancing not ten feet in front of me. I humored myself with it, but they were just rubbing salt in the wound.  
  
Out of nowhere I felt a tug on my arm. The next thing I knew I was part of the big moving mass of people, having my arms adjusted around someone's neck. I wasn't even sure of what was really going on.  
  
" Hey Jack" came a docile note from a familiar voice.  
  
" Karen?" I asked in astonishment.  
  
" You got it Jack" Karen said, her eyes drifting around the crowd, only meeting mine when she said something to me.  
  
" Err. this is a surprise" I said in astonishment.  
  
" Would you rather sit back down?" Karen shot at me, but it was almost like she was trying to annoy me.  
  
" Nah, that's ok," I told her as calmly and as naturally as I could.  
  
Karen turned out to be an excellent dancer. Far better then any of the other girls I had danced with over the course of the day. I was silent during the whole dance, but in the back of my mind thoughts were flying around my head a mile a minute. Too soon the dance was over, and I figured I had my run of luck for the day.  
  
" Thanks" was all I said as I moved to sit down on one of the benches.  
  
" Oh no you don't!" Karen called from behind me. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards her.  
  
" Just for the rest of the day? That's all" Karen bargained.  
  
" Ok, but you'll have to answer a question," I reasoned.  
  
" Sure, I guess" Karen replied.  
  
" Why are you dancing with me?" I said, sounding perplexed.  
  
" For a couple of reasons" Karen said with a smirk. " You've left me alone for awhile now. Grey keeps asking me to dance with him. Cliff- err. mentioned about you in his cave" Karen answered. " Don't get any funny ideas, either, bub. We still don't know each other to well."  
  
" Of course" I reassured her. I still thought there was more to it then what Karen said, but I didn't care all that much at the moment. I was living in the minute, and I realized something. Fall is a great season.  
  
...  
  
Author's Note: There's chapter 7, entitled after the best song in the world. Really. I hope that's enough romance to keep you folks at bay for a little while, as I'm planning on drifting away from it for a chapter or two. Thanks for reading. Hope you liked this one, as its taken up a whole morning of a snow day off from school. 


	8. Somewhere Out There

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 8: Somewhere Out There  
  
It had been a week since the Harvest Festival now, and Karen's attitude was still boggling me. I hadn't seen her since the festival, but I preferred to keep to myself anyways at the moment. The days were starting to get chilly, and I preferred not to be out and about so much. I was already spending a good portion of my day working on my eggplants that I was beginning to hate. I tried biting into a couple of them on occasion. That just proved why there wasn't much demand for them. But I did have something to look forward too. The Egg Festival would be tomorrow, and I felt compelled, or rather destined, to win this contest of speed.  
  
I was hoping Karen's father wouldn't make a scene of me at this festival. The Cow Festival was a disaster and a miracle at the same time, but I didn't want to relive it. The truth was, I was scared stiff of Karen's father, and I wanted to avoid him at all costs. He had some unsung hostility towards me, but I really didn't care if I knew or not. If I tried to find out, that would mean getting close to him, which was something I wanted to avoid.  
  
My new calf that I affectionately named Nora was turning out to be a chore. She ate a lot more fodder than my sheep, and grass could no longer be planted in the ground. I feared that I might have to resort to buying fodder, which would end up being quite expensive. I shuddered at the thought, but at least Doug was on good terms with me.  
  
I ran my usual drills with Biff, who seemed to be improving everyday. Deep inside though, I knew I didn't have a chance against the upper class riders who's hobby was training their horse to win at the races. At least I could compete though.  
  
The daylight seemed to begin to wane sooner now that Fall was in full swing as well. I had less time to get everything done that I would like to. I had been meaning to visit Cliff again some time, but the sun would collapse over the horizon before I ever got the chance. It was almost like the days were working against me. Odd as that sounds, what if there was a Higher Power at work? It sounded funny, but Pastor Brown said that this was the case all the time. Regardless, the nights were getting longer and I didn't like it one bit.  
  
...  
  
I woke up the next day excited, hope filled, and ready to beat this town at its own game! Today would be the day of the Egg Festival, and today would be the day I would finally come home victorious from one of these silly festivals.  
  
As I approached the village I heard someone move behind me. I turned around only moments before a flying-Cliff tackled me into the ground.  
  
" What was that for!?" I almost shouted at Cliff, who was now staring down in my face.  
  
" What was that for?" Cliff repeated. " That was for everything you've done for me!" Cliff shouted as he jumped up off of me.  
  
" Cliff, you're talking yourself into a corner again" I said dryly.  
  
" No, no, its not that at all! I'm in love!" Cliff reminded me of Sparky, my dog.  
  
" Oh my sweet savior Cliff, what have you done!?" I figured Cliff had a death wish or something.  
  
" Ann loves me! She said it herself! And I know she does! I can feel it!" Cliff's mind was running like a racehorse.  
  
" Erm-" I tried to say something. I was simply stunned though. I would never see either of them going out and saying 'I love you' to someone, but maybe it was meant to be that way. This was boggling my mind.  
  
" And for celebration, you and I are going to have a night to remember tomorrow at the Inn!" Cliff said, overjoyed.  
  
" I'm happy for you Cliff" I told him as I got a grasp on the situation. " Then tomorrow we will celebrate. Sounds like it could be fun" I told him with a grin.  
  
...  
  
We strolled into town, which had covered boxes all around. I peeked into one, only to have my hand slapped by none other than Maria herself.  
  
" Shame on you, trying to cheat!" she scolded.  
  
" What?" I asked, dumbfounded.  
  
" Those are where the eggs are hidden! So you're cheating if you look!" Maria reinforced.  
  
" Erm, sorry" I apologized. I felt myself go red in the face.  
  
The festival was having quite the turnout already. Almost everyone was in the village from the surrounding area. I supposed this would be more exciting than the Cow Festival anyways, which didn't have nearly as many people as this in attendance. I looked around to see my competition. I saw Cliff, who was warming up to Ann's father, probably trying to get on his good side. Harris was strolling around quietly, but he seemed to be eyeing up Maria. Rick was on the other side of the crowd, and probably had some invention to identify the eggs from yards away. And of course there was Kai. He beat me in the last test of endurance, but I swore he wouldn't beat me in this one. He was now my silent rival. Sure, I didn't personally like him, but its not like I hated the guy either. He seemed to have an eye on Karen at all times, however. One side of me said that I shouldn't really care, but the other side was jealous.  
  
" Ok folks! Listen Up!" the mayor announced. " Let's get this party started, eh?"  
  
I smirked at the idea that the mayor was trying to sound fun.  
  
" I will hold out a certain colored egg, and you guys have to search the boxes for an egg of the same color over three rounds of physical endurance. It's not too hard, so don't worry all you newcomers! Well, it's not too hard for me anyways! Ha ha!" the mayor gave out a chuckle with the rest of the crowd. Simultaneously the mayor had pulled a pearly white egg out of his pocket and held it up. I dashed off away from the bustling crowd, who was still jeering at the mayor's joke, unaware that he had pulled out an egg.  
  
I dashed around, looking into every crate I saw. The crowd was slowly realizing the mayor's trick and were joining me in the hunt. Eventually the whole crowd was out and about looking through crates that I had already checked. But as I peered into the next crate near the corner of town by the bakery I found a pearly white egg that had the same hue as the one in the mayor's hand. I threw my arm up in victory. This was the first step. I only had to find one more egg and this festival was in the bag.  
  
" Congratulations Jack!" the mayor cheered me on.  
  
" You tricked us!" came and angry voice from the crowd.  
  
" Athletics are as much mental as they are physical, you know!" the major gave with a smile. " Now if you want me to be bluntly honest, find this pastel purple egg!" the mayor shouted as he displayed, just as he described it, a pastel purple egg.  
  
I dashed in and out of the crowd, searching all of the boxes, but to no victory. I just couldn't find the stupid thing. The time just kept ticking on and on. Time was running out, but I didn't want to accept the fact that it was.  
  
Suddenly, someone behind the mayor announced " I found it!" Worst of all, it was Kai.  
  
I didn't realize that there was a box behind the mayor, which angered me very much. This next and final round would have to be decisive. It was my last shot at winning. This was it, I was facing fate, staring at him in the eye. I won.  
  
The mayor pulled out a fiery orange egg without any warning. I sprinted around, looking through all the crates besides the ones that already contained previous winners. Time was running out once more. I had looked through every single box in town, but I didn't find a replica of the egg in the mayor's hand. There was one last place I thought there could have been a crate. I ran behind the Church and looked down the alley behind the seed and flower shop to see one last crate, the crate that contained that fiery orange egg. I felt something moving behind me however. It was something fast too. It was making a dead sprint towards the box. Instinctively, I started sprinting as well. My opponent already had his speed built up however, and passed me. Of course it was Kai. It was always Kai. I was catching up to him, but there was no way I could catch him in time. I was going to lose to him yet again.  
  
Yet, something began to click in my head. Every time I came up against this guy I was always second best. But not this time. I wasn't going to let it happen this time. He wasn't going to humiliate me again. I couldn't live with myself if he beat me again. I yelled inside my mind and gave the best burst of speed I could.  
  
My body was screaming, but I had to give more. Faster was all that was going through my head. Faster! Faster! Faster! Is all that ran through my mind as I closed in on my rival. I was going to beat him. I pushed myself beyond the envelope of my physical limit. A mere second after I passed Kai I slammed myself up against the crate. I threw the top off, grasped the egg inside, and raised my arm in victory.  
  
The orange egg gleamed in the Fall sun. I began to laugh to myself, and I realized I couldn't remember my own name. But I had won, and that was all that mattered at the moment. I collapsed into someone's arms at that moment. I didn't realize who caught me, but they pulled me up and told me to keep walking. I knew the drill. The lactic acid in my legs needed to be flushed out, and I had to keep walking to do that.  
  
My reward was a strange power berry that I gobbled the moment I got it and a plush turtle, which would look great in my house if I had any other decorations. I had won though, and I beat Kai. Tomorrow would be something to celebrate about for both Cliff and myself.  
  
...  
  
The next day the carpenters began attaching a kitchen to my house, something that was long over due. They would be back late at the tail end of Fall to add a bathroom on as well, which I was, needless to say, very excited about.  
  
While working on the new addition a carpentry master asked a peculiar question.  
  
" How bout' you pay us back once we wrap things up here, eh?" the master asked.  
  
" Whats the task?" I asked him.  
  
" We need to repair the old bridge to the top of the mountain. It's been out of commision since last Spring" the master informed me. " We'll pay ya."  
  
" Sounds good. I'd be glad to help" I informed him.  
  
...  
  
That night was a blast with Cliff. We sat around and joked with each other at the Inn and congratulated each other on our successes. Kai gave an ominous look over to the table we were sitting at that said " this isn't over between us." Karen seemed nice to me again tonight, which startled me. I couldn't tell what exactly, but it was almost like she was using me as a shield. I didn't want to upset Cliff's good mood though, so I just kept it to myself. I was always good at bottling up my emotions, which probably explained my seldom seen, yet explosive temper.  
  
...  
  
The work on the bridge was uneventful, but the carpenters were an easy going bunch of guys. It was fun to work with them on this project with them. They were the sort of rough-neck, yet easy going guys that reminded me of Cliff. I took us five days to finish the bridge, and when we completed it we were shocked to find the old restraunt that was assumed to be blown away last Winter in a blizzard. The poor old couple. They said that food wasn't a problem, but they did get lonely. I promised I would remember to stop at their restraunt sometime for a quick bite to eat.  
  
...  
  
With the work on the bridge I completely forgot about the upcomming horse race that was sure to be a spectacle. The day after the bridge was completed I was headed off with Biff to the races. I realized this would be more of a learning experience than anything else. I didn't expect to do well at all, but I was going to give it my best shot.  
  
I was in the first race and I was placed in block one. I was given a blue dearby helmet that matched my hat. I saw Cliff sitting with Ann, Rick, and Karen in the stands, watching anxiously for the start of the race. I waved to them all, and they waved back. Well, all of them except for Karen, but that was expected. I searched for Kai, hoping that he wasn't here to see me get smacked around by some folks that live for the derby. Luckily, I couldn't find him anywhere.  
  
" Gentlemen, on your marks!" the redman announced.  
  
Kapow! Off went the gun, and so did the competition. I followed suite, but the front runners were killing me. I was competing with the fifth place horse fairly well, which pleased me, and the fourth horse wasn't out of reach. I held onto the tail end of things, planning on having Biff surge the last quarter of the course.  
  
With the last quarter beginning to dawn on Biff and I, I spurred him onward to nab the fifth place position. My biggest competitor wasn't going to lose so easily, however. He kept up with me quite well, but I still held out in front of him. Much to my surprise, the horse in front of me began to fall apart andfall abck, giving me the opportunity to nab the fourth place position just before crossing the line. I trampled across that red line and threw one of my arms into the air. This was a victory for me. I never expected to come here and take fourth in my race.  
  
I dismounted from my horse and saw Cliff, Rick, and Ann all cheering me on.  
  
" You did it awesome, buddy!" Cliff yelled.  
  
" I knew you would be a good horse racer! I knew it!" Ann shouted out!  
  
" You really took those last two in a snap Jack!" Rick congratulated me.  
  
The walk home that night with Biff was one of the most thrilling ever. I had just competed in my first race and gone beyond all expectations. Biff deserved a good rest now, and so did I. I was just curious why Karen was so cold at the races. She didn't even congratualate me.  
  
...  
  
The last two days of Fall found me caring for a woman's cows while she was in town until she got settled down someplace. It was odd having a full barn with five more animals in it, but I realized that I was eventaully going to have too as well. I decided one thing was for sure though. I definatly prefer sheep over cows. I also relaized something else. Fall was ending, and so was a chapter in my life. 


	9. Every Breath You Take

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission  
  
Chapter 9: Every Breath You Take  
  
Winter came unexpectedly with frosty cold weather. Snow was beginning to fall by Winter's third day, and it came down hard. There was solitude to the season though. Everything was bleak, but it was quiet and calm, as if everything was resting, including the farm.  
  
There was seemingly nothing to do in the morning except feed the animals, and income was cut shorter than usual with having only one egg bearing chicken and two shearable sheep to line my pockets. My calf, Little Miss, wasn't of age yet to give milk, even though she certainly wasn't little in any aspect. The rest of the barn was filled with the cows I was caring for. I figured that this would be what I would do for money this season. Odd jobs that nobody else wanted to do would be my main flux of income during this season.  
  
Soon enough the cows under my care found a more suitable living space two villages away, and Doug paid me handsomely. But I knew this cash flow couldn't hold out forever. I began to skim around for other ways to make money. I delved into the papers that were sitting on my newly constructed kitchen table. To no success with the paper, I traveled into the living room and flipped on the T.V. Fortunately, there was one particular offer for work that was being advertised. The mine in Moon Mountain would be opened in three days, and I could literally go digging for gold!  
  
...  
  
Working as a miner was tough work, but it wasn't anything I wasn't used too. All I ever found was some crude iron ore that was used in all sorts of various things around the village, such as making tools, that would, in the end, come back to me. On very rare occasions I would find moonstone, which was used in the flowers during the firefly festival. I also heard rumors about precious gems such as blue rock, and a highly conductive, highly dense, rare metal, but I could never find such things. I found Potana roots as well, which served the Potion Master's needs very well. These roots were important ingredients in medicine.  
  
I was never really obligated to go to the mines, but I went everyday anyways. After the third day of working in the mines though, I came home to see an odd sight. Much to my surprise, a piece of cake was setting on the small table in my living and a card that had " Jack" written on the front in cursive lettering. As I opened the card I noticed that a little too much time and effort was put into the card. Well, more time was put into the card than I would ever put in a card, anyways. The card was an interesting read, but it seemed almost sad.  
  
Dear Jack,  
  
I thought you would be at home for the Thanksgiving festival today, but you surprised me. I kind of like it this way better anyways. Then I don't have to say all this to you in person. We'll have a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at the Green Ranch now at least. We always have a special guest for Thanksgiving dinner, but that guest will just have to be Cliff this year. My Dad isn't the fondest person of you, but Ann's Dad insisted that you be invited since you didn't have any real family here. You seem too busy for us though, and you probably need the rest anyways. Happy Thanksgiving.  
  
~Karen  
  
P.S. Good job at the horse races. It slipped my mind to tell you earlier.  
  
I clenched the letter in my fist and ran out the door. I was determined to make this dinner at the Green Ranch. I didn't want to spend this day alone. I completely forgot about Thanksgiving, but was going to try and make it up. I jogged down to the Green Farm to find that the house was alive with commotion. I could see people inside, but I couldn't make out any particular people. Regardless of what Karen thought, this was the closest thing to a family I had.  
  
...  
  
I tried to calm myself down as I knocked on the front door. I waited a few moments for the door to open, but eventually I saw an orange haired figure move towards the door. As the door peaked open I saw the last member of the Green family to welcome me into the house. Grey had a strange smirk on his face, but around him I could see Doug conversing with Karen's Dad, Donavan. Cliff was sitting at the table, looking impatiently at Grey to return to the table to start their conversation over. Karen's mother was quickly bringing food out of a nearby room and setting it on the table, followed by Karen and Ann, who brought out more food. No one seemed to notice that I was at the door, except one other person who was sitting across the table from Cliff.  
  
" Come on in. Happy Thanksgiving" Grey said with the warmest smile that he could manage, which still wasn't very bright.  
  
As I walked in, everyone collapsed on me, greeting me and welcoming me into the household and wishing me Happy Thanksgiving. Even Karen's Dad welcomed me into the Green household.  
  
" So you decided to show up, huh?" Cliff nudged at me.  
  
" Welcome son, make yourself at home here!" Doug chimed in  
  
" Happy Thanksgiving, kid" Karen's Dad wished me, for what it was worth.  
  
" Hey Jack, I didn't think you would make it" Kai told me with his better side.  
  
Ann and Karen's Mother both rushed out of the kitchen, followed by Karen, who looked like she was being drug along to a surprise that she didn't care to see. The moment she saw me though, her eyes brightened up, but only for a moment.  
  
" Happy Thanksgiving, Jack! This is a surprise!" Ann greeted.  
  
" Welcome Jack. Come on in and enjoy yourself" Karen's Mother invited me, but a strange sense of held back emotion filled me as she spoke to me. " You're just in time, we're about to set down for dinner."  
  
" Thank you, everyone. This is the biggest Thanksgiving I've ever been at!" I said with a smile.  
  
Doug nudged me by my shoulder. " Sit down right here Jack, and get ready for the best meal you've had in years! Kathy always makes the best Thanksgiving dinners!" Doug cheered with a smile towards Karen's Mother.  
  
I was set down next to Kai in the middle of the table. Slowly everyone began to take their seats. Well, all the men did anyways. Cliff sat across from me, with Grey to his left and two empty seats to his right. Doug and Karen's Dad each took one head of the table. Now there was only one empty seat to my left and two at the corner across the table. Finally the three women came out with the last of the food and took their seats. Karen sat to my left, which made the thoughts in the back of my mind jump up and down. My immediate thoughts though must have punched my recessive thoughts in the face because they disappeared as I calmed myself down.  
  
" Let us all say grace before we begin" Doug announced. With that, we all said a short prayer before we began to dig into the turkey, potatoes, cranberries, and muffins.  
  
At fist the whole table was silent except when food would need to be passed around, but once everyone settled down a little conversations started going up all over the table. I stayed quite though, waiting for someone to start a conversation with me. Cliff was preoccupied with Ann, which discouraged me. I had to sit and watch a girl take my best buddy away from me. It reminded me off why I wanted to stay away from girls. I learned over the course of High School that it was a lot more fun to be without any 'obligations' to someone. But how could I say that with some one like Karen sitting next to me? I had to say something to her. It wouldn't be right if I didn't. She's the one who invited me here anyways.  
  
" I found the card you left on the table" I mentioned to her.  
  
" Obviously" Karen said. The words were sharp, but she smiled at me to reassure that she didn't want to start a fight.  
  
" I was wondering why you didn't congratulate me at the horse race. I didn't even see you once the race was over" I told her.  
  
" Maybe I'll tell you later" she reassured me. " How've you been?"  
  
" Alright. I was wondering why I was the only one working in the mines today" I told her with a laugh.  
  
Karen gave a short laugh as well. " You must be the only man alive he worked on Thanksgiving."  
  
" I try" I told her with a smile.  
  
The noise level at the table was dying down again. Doug seemed determined to keep the holiday as festive as possible.  
  
" So Jack, how's the farm been lately?" Doug asked me.  
  
" It's been alright" I told the table. " It's been a little hard to keep myself afloat this season. Anyone have any odd jobs for me?" I said with a laugh.  
  
" Yeah, I have lots of stuff you can do, if you're up to it" Karen's Dad informed me. He was the last person I expected to give me a job. " Just come by tomorrow and I'll give you a list of stuff I need done."  
  
" Yeah, I can just imagine all the fixer-uppers at your place Donavan!" Doug said with a chuckle.  
  
With Doug's short response to Karen's Dad the level of commotion at the table rose back up to it's normal level. Within minutes everyone was conversing about all sorts of different topics.  
  
" So." I began, not really sure about what to say.  
  
" So. what?" Karen questioned. " Theres a million things you could mean by that, you know."  
  
" Well, what do you think I mean by it?" I said with a smile.  
  
" You meant that you were at a loss of words and didn't know how to continue our conversation, but in order to be polite to me you are trying to anyways" Karen explained.  
  
" Yeah, that was kind of the idea of it" I laughed in embarrassment. " I would consider it a success, too" I said with a sly grin.  
  
" Well, where do you suppose we take this conversation from here then?" Karen questioned. Now I knew she was just messing with my head. That was one of the reasons I stopped dating after high school. Girls are the most confusing and complex beings on the face of the Earth. I think if we were ever invaded by aliens from the next multiverse over, women would be our only chance of survival. The aliens would realize how confusing this invasion thing could be and halt the attack. Eh, I figured I would play along with her.  
  
" Anywhere but where we're at right now" I said, looking into her eyes.  
  
" But we're not talking about anything. How can you run a race without a starting line?" Karen toyed.  
  
" How long can we keep this up?" I joked back at her.  
  
" How long are you willing too?" Karen joked back.  
  
" How long are you going to procrastinate the answer?" I sent back.  
  
" How about we just finish dinner first?" Karen suggested. I had to agree. We finished our meals in silence.  
  
I humored myself with the sight of Cliff talking quietly to Ann at the table. It was like a dog marrying a cat. Cliff was obviously in way over his head, the poor guy. Yet how did I know what I was doing? I was eating dinner with one of the best looking girls in the village, and I liked it. I liked it, and I didn't like realizing that I liked it. Why was sympathizing for Cliff? What about poor me? Poor me was getting his butt kicked in the level headedness game. I hadn't known this feeling since I was seventeen. It was definitely time to do something drastic. I needed to get out of here with my common sense in tact, but my common sense was just shot through the heart.  
  
" Want to try this talking thing again?" I questioned with a smirk.  
  
" Well I don't know how well it will work out, you know? You're on that farm all the time and no one gets to see you. You probably don't have time to talk all that much, unless you talk to that cow you won" Karen said with a laugh.  
  
" I can try, can't I?" I joked back to her.  
  
" How is it our conversations never go anywhere except nowhere? Karen asked.  
  
" Oh I don't know" I said with a sigh.  
  
" That's the exact sort of thing I'm talking about! You don't even really answer questions. You need more practice with your mouth, Jack" Karen laughed innocently.  
  
... Dinner was over soon enough, and it was time for me to take my leave. I couldn't be let go without at least a piece of pie of the pumpkin variety. I gave my thanks and good byes, along with Cliff, and left into the night.  
  
Cliff stayed silent for the majority of the walk. I assumed he was lazily dreaming about his, dare I say, girlfriend? Just before we reached the farm though, he decided to give one last good bye, albeit a bit odd.  
  
" You got what Karen meant when she said no one ever sees you, right Jack?" Cliff asked with a grin.  
  
" Do tell, oh wise master of the mountain" I jolted sarcastically.  
  
" It means she wants to see you more often" Cliff said with a sly smile. But as quickly as he gave me the message, he was gone, walking home towards his cave. I laughed at the idea of Cliff indulging himself and his 'relationship' with those mountain creatures. I still wanted to know about those little' guys.  
  
As I walked into the house to collapse on my bed I found myself speaking aloud.  
  
" I'll have to watch out for her. Every breath she takes. Every move she makes." I collapsed onto the bed without another word for a good night's sleep.  
  
...  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I did just slaughter everything Natsume's idea of a Thanksgiving Festival stands for. Perhaps I changed it because I have a brain, which allows for all sorts of things. I hope that was enough crap (some people call it fluff, I guess. Not to sure on the actual definition of this cult word, however. Thus, I may be wrong.) for all of you! I wish I could say it will be the last chapter like it for awhile, but then how could I fill in two more chapters about Jack's first winter? I know that the stuff in this chapter almost seems "kiddy", but I am only fifteen years old. Then again, I make reference to the brain comment, which explicitly allows me achieve and sustain a mental state that clearly defies my physical state. Keep on reviewing, too. They encourage me on this personal crusade to defy all things that a young teenage stereo-type denies to me. 


	10. Hold On Loosely

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission

Chapter 10: Hold on Loosely

I awoke the next morning with my head in a spin. Perhaps it was the events of the previous day settling into my mind. Then again, I did have a bruise on my forehead and the bedpost looked too innocent. I let Sparky outside and got ready for another day in the ore mines. As usual, I flipped on the TV to find out about the weather and the local events. It would be cold with scattered snow showers again.

As I flipped onto the local event calendar channel, Sparky began to bark at the door. As I let the little feller' in I turned back to the TV monitor.

"... so remember to bring your dog on the 19th of Winter for the dog races! It-will- surely be a sight-to-see! Can-your-doggie defeat the all-time-champ-Fiddles?!" The broadcaster televised.

"He must have grown up watching 'The Wide World of Sports' I guess" I chuckled as I flipped the TV off.

"So pooch, you think you can beat the all-time-champ-Fiddles?" I asked my dog, simultaneously mocking the broadcaster. Sparky barked in approval.

The day of the dog races was fast approaching. What's cooler than watching your dog race? A blizzard came crashing in four days before the race however, which made me wonder what the officials would do if a blizzard hit during the races. The snow was hammering the village at any rate, and most everyone was locked up inside. Everyone would be inside, except for Cliff. Granted, he was living in a spider's web of tunnels inside Moon Mountain, but today would give me a good excuse to see him. Heck, the weather wasn't all that bad outside anyways. Or so I thought.

The truth was that, once outside, I couldn't see a damn. I had a hard time telling which direction I was going, and I didn't know if I would even make it to Cliff's cavern. The intense cold was piercing. It was a miracle anything could survive in this weather. I couldn't remember weather this bad ever in Edgewater or even at Mom's childhood home far to the north in Libertyville.

I trudged through the snow like a regular trooper, reaching the foot of the mountain and that much closer to me destination. But I would never reach my destination, as something, or someone perhaps, struggled ahead of me on the far side of a snow bank. Using my human nature of wanting to help people, I dashed over to the far side of the snow bank. I was stunned to see her of all people.

"Karen!?" I blurted out in astonishment. It was indeed her.

"Jack, you came to save me I see" Karen sneered. It was clear that she was frustrated, and was grasping her ankle.

Kneeling down to her, I began to roll out the questions. "Are you alright?"

"What would I be doing rolling around in a blizzard if I didn't need help" Karen argued. She was obviously angry about her current predicament.

"Here, I'll carry you" I reasoned. "I need to get you home."

"Kai has got help on the way" Karen blurted. "But I..."

I interrupted her as I picked her out of the snow bank. "As I was saying" Karen began again. But she didn't have an immediate answer. An icy-hot thought crept into my mind. Could she be enjoying me carrying her? I shoved the thought out of me head I kept thinking to myself that I was just doing the right thing.

"I guess I'll let you carry me" Karen finished, still in a grumpy mood.

The walk towards the vineyard was silent until we reached the hill that precedes Karen's house. I noticed Kai running towards Moon Mountain with Harris and Rick trailing behind. But as Kai saw me he stopped with a blank look on his face. I felt sad for him, actually. I felt Karen's arms wrap around my neck as her eyes met Kai's own.

"I've got it under control Kai" I said, looking apologetically towards him. His blank look sank into me like a knife. Everything was coming together now. I understood what was going on, but I wasn't going to let Karen or Kai onto it. I finished the walk to the vineyard feeling that much worse about myself.

Outside the door I sat Karen back down onto her feet. She wobbled a little but caught herself on the exterior wall of her house.

"Is something wrong Jack?" Karen asked me. There was genuine concern in her voice.

I had a hard time looking into her eyes for two reasons. One, the snow was blinding, and two, I didn't know how I was going to say this. I decided to wing it.

"Why are you screwing both of us like this?" I said, unsure of where I was going with the conversation.

"What do you mean Jack?" Karen asked, seemingly concerned once more.

"What I mean is you don't give a care in the world to my existence if Kai isn't somewhere nearby. He likes you, but you don't like him, and you're using me as a shield against him" I spilled out.

"Jack, I didn't mean to hurt you" Karen pleaded.

"What are you talking about? What goes through your mind every time you see me!? If Kai wasn't around you would still be giving me hell!" I exploded. It was bad enough she used me, but now she was trying to play innocent.

"Please Jack, just listen to me" Karen begged.

"Take responsibility for once! Can't you ever admit a mistake!?" I was practically screaming in her face. Karen's eyes began to well up into tears.

"Jack," Karen sobbed, "At first I did use you. I admit it. But I found out that you really aren't a bad guy. I had the time of my life on Thanksgiving. I'm sorry" She apologized as her eyes began to well up. I saw a tear roll down the side of her face.

She just had to start crying. Crying is such an evil trump card.

"Look Karen. I had a lot of fun too, but you can't go around and mess with people's lives like this. It's not fair. You have to give everyone a chance to come into their own, but you're trying to control the entire playing field" I reasoned with her.

Karen's eyes were fresh with new tears again as she began to speak. "I'm sorry Jack. I'm so sorry."

Karen was now sobbing in her hands. I had to do something to make her feel better. Every time I tried to play the mean and tough guy it always blew up in my face. I drew my arms around and hugged her, letting her cry on my shoulder.

"It's ok Karen" I comforted. "Let's go inside. It's cold out here. We'll just have to apologize to Kai." I suppressed my anger for the moment, but I knew that there would be consequences for this blunder.

I hefted her back into my arms and opened the door. The looks I got as I walked in were not pretty. Karen's mother was at the coffee table in their living room, caught up weeping in the moment. I felt glad to bring her daughter home, but as she looked up into my eyes I felt as if I was staring back into a shell, a mere piece of history.

"Oh thank heavens!" Karen's mother rejoiced as she saw Karen in my arms. She then turned to a door near the foot of the stairs and yelled "Donavan, come quick!"

Karen's father, Donovan, rushed out the door to see his weathered daughter as she lied in my arms.

"Oh thank goodness she's alright" Donovan proclaimed as he hurried to his daughter's side.

"I'm alright Dad, I'm alright" Karen managed to say to her father, but she was obviously exhausted.

"I'll take her to her room. Sit yourself down on the couch Jack" Donovan ordered without personalization.

Donovan carried his daughter up the stairs and into her room. I sat down on their living room couch silent to the events that had transpired during the day. Karen's mother was completely silent as well, only mentioning something about her making dinner.

Fifteen minutes later Donovan returned from Karen's room and sat down in the chair next to me. It was awkward sitting here like this, and my nerves were on edge. Was Donovan going to lash out at me again?

"Thanks Jack" Donovan managed. "She was going to see Cliff today I reckon. I started lecturing at her for not taking responsibility in her job at the bar so she got up and left."

"She'll be alright, won't she?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I think she will be" Donovan figured.

"I guess I'll be on my way then" I said, remaining on the defensive.

"It was brave of you to bring her back like that, Jack" Donovan praised me. "I still need those jobs done by the way," he reminded me.

"Kay', I'll be around tomorrow" I promised as I left the door.

The walk home was long and cold. I wondered what Donavan was talking about

when he said that she wasn't taking responsibility for her job, but I had bigger fish to fry. My mind dwelled on the thoughts of being played for a sap. I swore once this would never happen to me again once. That was when I was younger, but at that moment I figured it still applied to today. The farther I walked the angrier I became. This was another childhood problem I thought I had left behind in Edgewater. I managed to bottle it inside me though before I could do any harm.

When I finally made it home I slammed the door shut and collapsed onto my

bed once again and dreamed. I dreamed for what seemed like a year the last I looked at my clock it read 3:00 PM, winter the 15th. I awoke next to see the clock clearly displaying the time. It was 3:20 PM. Excellent. A twenty-minute nap must have done some good. I gazed out the window on the door after lifting myself off of my bed. The blizzard had stopped. I thought to myself that the blizzard had a rather abrupt end. I paced back to flip on the TV.

" He-llo-again viewers!" the broadcaster proclaimed.

" Ugh, I would rather watch the 'Brady Bunch' then listen to the Wide World of Sports dude," I complained.

"It-is Winter-the-16th and that means that the dog-race is-only three-days-away!"

"What the hell!?" I exclaimed. "Where'd yesterday go?" I pondered. I must have slept through it I guess.

I figured I owed myself a break. But I didn't care. I kept hitting the mines hard within the next few days. I worked my back out and my butt off. I was still stewing from the events of the past few days. This was how I tried to get away from it though. I always ticked this way, ever since I was young. I would work myself to death to forget about something. So far it had been working. That is, until the day before the Dog Races. I was three floors under the mountain when I heard the familiar voice of Kai.

" Hey Jack, I'm surprised to see you here."

" Err.... Hiya Kai" I said, slightly irritated and still on edge.

" I just want to say to that there are no hard feelings between us I hope" Kai said apologetically. " Karen adores you and she-"

" Shut up Kai" I snapped.

" I just thought that-"

" You figured wrong. You should go back to wherever it is you came from. There is surely more opportunities for some one like you or I there than there is on this depressing ripple in the ocean" I lectured. I made my way towards the ladder. I needed a drink. I was never much for alcohol, but now was one heck of an exception.

I strolled into the tavern that night with a depressing guise on. I ordered a small drink, my now-seldom-seen good nature getting the best of me on that one, and tried to enjoy the classic hits being played on the jukebox. I took a small sip of my drink and quickly began to hack and cough.

" Barkeep, is this stuff supposed to be this strong?" I questioned from over the counter.

" Sir, I'm afraid if you want anything weaker all we have is water," the bartender said. The man next to me made a weak attempt to mask his laughter.

I was staring at the counter of the bar for what was probably close to half an hour. It was made of mahogany. Very nice craftsmanship, and it was cleaned regularly.

" Something on your mind sir?" the bartender asked. I figured it was his job to do things like that.

" Not... really, no." I replied.

" Look youngster, you clearly have something on your mind. I think this is unhealthy for you. I'm not going to gossip about it to anyone, so you can just relax and let it out."

" No thanks. I can handle it"

" You seem to want to mask your emotions inside of you, but there are holes all over your shell you've made to protect yourself." The bartender was really pushing the subject.

" Look, I said I don't want to talk about it, ok? I mean, what's your problem? Can't a guy get a sip in without being badgered about his personal life?" I snapped at him.

" I think I know your problem" came a voice from the doorway. I felt like crawling under the counter when I heard those cold chilling words coming from that mouth.

Without looking back I replied, " For the dear love of my savior, leave me alone Karen!" I stood off of my stool to look my opposition in the eye. It was indeed Karen, her eyes flaring and her fists clenched.

" I said sorry!" Karen yelled across the bar. The full attention of everyone in the tavern was on Karen and I. Even the jukebox seemed to quiet.

" Why are you still so angry at me?" Karen questioned.

" Because you have no consideration for anyone but yourself. The only thing you care about is self preservation!" I snarled.

" Why can't you take my words to heart? I really mean it" Karen shot. Her eyes began to well up once more.

" I can't take anything you say or do to heart because you're a liar and you played me like an idiot!" I yelled back.

" Jack, I thought we were over this. I thought these arguments were behind us," Karen said with a tear rolling down her face yet again.

" Us? What's this 'us' that you talk about? Last I checked, I was a decent guy trying to make a living. Trying to survive. Then you came onto me and you ruined my entire frame of mind. There is nothing that connects 'us' together but these arguments."

At that Karen merely left the bar in tears...

" I think I see our problem," the bartender stated in bewilderment.

The next day I walked onto the racetrack with Sparky on a leash. He was

ready to rock. The many cheering fans were silent in my mind however. I had the last song I had heard in the tavern hardwired into my mind. It was a true .38 Special Classic. It was entitled "Hold On Loosely."

AN: I'm BACK IN BLACK! Well, I'm back anyways. Hope you all like this chapter. It's a little different style from the normal, but I'm picking this story up after eight months of not updating, so what do you expect? I meant to put this into the spoiler, but I had to fit the disclaimer somewhere, so it is a qwik fix for right now. The rating has been raised for crude humor and the obviously increased amount of swearing. This is supposed to be a dramatic chapter though. I'm not going to turn this into a story about swearing sailors, so don't worry. Argh, there goes the crude humor again.


	11. Like No Other Night

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission

Chapter 11: Like No Other Night

The cheers of a countless mass welcomed me as I traversed into the open stadium. A little snowfall fell about, but in comparison to the recent blizzard this was a mere squall. The bite of the wind however burned my cheeks. As Sparky trotted next to me I could tell he was feeling the chill too. The other dog trainers had been bickering about the poor conditions for a race, but that wasn't about to get me down. I figured that I would just beat them anyways, because the weather is just right for my dog and me. I also had to give a lot of credit to Kent, the Potion Master's grandson, for entering the event with his dog. It was a chocolate lab named Togo and looked like it could be rather quick. But I was more interested in beating the upper echelon' dog trainers with their monocles and hair implants.

"Mr. Munich you have box assignment number three. Please prep your dog for the race. We have five minutes to race time people!" the Official informed us.

The time ticked away and I looked into the stands to see a massive number of faces. Everyone from the entire county must be here, freezing on cold wooden seats to see some dogs chase a mechanical rabbit. Everyone from the county has come to see what my dog can do. I stared up into the stands to see something very encouraging, but very scary at the same time. Cliff, Harris, Rick, and Ann were all standing in a line, each wearing a shirt that bore a letter of my name, except for Cliff, who had stylized a massive "J" right onto his chest with black marker. Indeed, the shirts read "JAKC" in a nice line. Apparently Harris and Rick mixed up their spots. Cliff shouted something to them that looked like very correcting to say the least. Harris and Rick bumbled around so that "JACK" would be correctly displayed in the stands after Harris pushed several people to fix his mistake and Rick almost crowd-surfed his way down the stands.

"Gentlemen may the best dog win. On your marks!" the Official yelled, lulling me out of my trance. The mechanical rabbit was already on the track and rearing to go.

"It's do or die Sparky," I told my dog as I gave him a pat on the head and cleared the course.

KERPOW!! Off went the gun. The gates fell down, the mechanized rabbit began running and the dogs trailed behind suite. Sparky was hauling, taking the lead from Togo and the rest of the pack. Sparky even began to pull away by handfuls of meters from the others, save one dog. Indeed Togo was putting up a fight, but it seemed as though he couldn't keep up with Sparky for the long haul. Suddenly, however, Togo gained second life in his legs. He began to up closer and closer to Sparky, but it looked as though Sparky would still win. With 100 meters to go, it looked as though Sparky, while losing distance ever so slowly, would still be able to hold Togo off. However, it was apparent this was not the way things were meant to be. Togo and Sparky were neck and neck as the closed in on the last ten meters. Togo pulled his nose ahead of Sparky mere milliseconds before he could cross the finish. Sparky didn't have anything left in him. He looked like he was in a terrible pain. I was proud.

"Hey Jack, nice job there! I thought for sure you would win!" Kent said with shortness in breath. He was so excited he might have forgotten to keep taking in oxygen. He wasn't very tactful about it, but I think that was his way of saying 'good game.'

"Hey, you did a nice job too dude. Your dog sure knows how to run" I congratulated. How could I be angry for a little kid beating me? At any rate, I picked Sparky up (He was still quite a small dog) and carried him to the winner's pit.

Sparky was awarded a nice silver second place medal that could go next to the silver medal from the Sea Festival. Ah well, silver is prettier than gold anyways. Too bad gold is more valuable.

.....

The next morning would make it the 20th of winter. I couldn't believe winter was already two-thirds over with. Actually I suppose I could. I don't really like seasonal unemployment. In the midst of my cold breakfast grandpa's old phone that belonged in a museum began to ring. I've always hated early morning calls, but I figured that it was probably something important, like the government or something.

"Aye, whatcha' need?" I asked, still somewhat groggy, as I picked up the phone.

"Hey Jack, this is Ann" spoke the voice of my favorite carrot top, save Rick.

"What's going on Ann? It's like..." I began as I glanced over to my clock."... it's like 6AM."

"Yeah, isn't it beautiful?" Ann chimed in. I wish I had the heart to yell 'NO' at her, but I just couldn't.

"Hey Ann, would you want to, you know, get to the point?" I pressed. "I'm kind of on a tight schedule" I lied. Truth be told, I was in a rather bad mood. I hadn't slept well the night before. But then again, I hadn't slept well at all since I found Karen in the snow bank that day.

"Umm alright... Cliff and I need to ask you some stuff that is kind of important" Ann spoke. It almost sounded as if she was making this stuff up as she went along.

"Aight, when do you want to meet?" I asked.

"Four days from now, down on the beach by my house" Ann scheduled.

"Kay', I'll be there" I agreed.

"Alright, we'll see you then" Ann concluded.

"Okay, see you later Ann" I promised as I hung up the phone.

I was unsure of what Ann and Cliff really needed to see me for, but whatever the reason, I'd be there. I couldn't back out on Cliff now. He had been there for me so many times before. I secretly feared it had to do with the last thing I'd ever want my best friend to do. Marriage. The mere thought made me clench my fists in fear until my knuckles turned white. I mean, everything is all right at first, but then Ann wouldn't let Cliff and I hang out any more, then she'd make him carry her kids around at festivals and change their diapers and sell anything remotely cool that he owns for more 'practical' things. I recall my Father having to sell his Camaro shortly after he and Mom got married. The poor soul will lose all of his dignity!

.....

Our planned night was rapidly approaching. Despite its bleak look, I was actually growing fond of the winter's peacefulness. Other than finding some rare metals in the mountain, which Rick begged me to death for, everything was now calm and quite. Even my now vast legion of sheep and my ever-growing calf dared not speak a word. As I prepared to disembark from the farm for the beach I threw my heavily weighed bag full of minerals into my shipping crate. Perhaps I could finally have a bathroom added to my house.

The quiet stroll to the beach was just that and nothing more. Quiet. Upon reaching the vista the overlooks the beach I only saw a single figure on the beach, which was definitely female, probably Ann. I jumped down onto the sandy slope overlooking the shore, sliding down, being careful not to trip. However, the closer I came to the mysterious girl, the more it didn't look like Ann and the more it looked like... Karen.

"Great" I said to myself as the dark silhouette turned around to see me, clearly in astonishment.

"What?" Karen said, clearly baffled. I could barely make out her face. "Jack, why are you here?" Karen asked, seemingly on the defensive. She was trying hard to avoid any argument.

"I was supposed to meet Cliff here" I informed her. She should have had a pretty good idea of where Cliff would be, being his cousin and all.

"Hmm..." Karen pondered for a moment, still keep her voice subtle and quiet. " He's probably in his cave, freezing his rear end off right now."

"Well then. This makes no sense," I said, half talking to myself, half talking to Karen. She seemed disinterested in what I had to say though, and turned back around to look out at the ocean. She sat down and curled up gazing into the rolling waves, silently wishing this I don't want to even dare imagine.

"You look cold" I said, slowly strolling over, sitting down a safe distance away from her.

"Yeah, just a bit" she said, still ever so subtle.

I figured now was the right time. I felt bad enough about the whole situation and let enough steam blow off that to keep on fighting her was pointless. Being mean to her got me nowhere except being embarrassed in front of half of the village.

"Hey, about yelling at you and all" I began to say. She darted a look at me that seemed quite defensive. "I'm... sorry. I accept your apology."

Karen gave a small laugh. "It's ok Jack. I figured you would."

"Oh really?" I said, slightly insulted.

"Yeah, I knew cause' you aren't like my dad. You... have a heart," Karen said, turning from happy to sad very quickly.

"Look, things will be alright" I assured her. "Your dad isn't that bad. I mean he's... oh crap," I cursed as I suddenly remembered that I owed him labor. I had been so busy avoiding their entire family because of the recent incidents I had completely forgotten about him willing to give me some work. "I completely forgot about the jobs he'd left for me."

"It'll be alright," Karen said, now trying to assure me. "He'll get angry and maybe cuss a little bit, tell me he doesn't like me hanging around you, and then he'll forget about it."

I was edging closer to her now. "Here, curl up in this" I said as I handed her my jacket. She was shivering awfully, it was the least I could do.

"I couldn't just take this from you" she said, edging closer to me. She threw my jacket back over my far shoulder, but wrapped it around herself as well. I was drawn in extremely close to her, my jacket serving as a blanket for the both of us.

"I wish I had someone to tell me I couldn't be around you. Then maybe I could get some work done," I said as I peered into her burning emerald eyes. Then, from some gut instinct within me, I kissed her. I pulled back somewhat quickly, wondering what I had just done. Four long years had gone by since I last attempted such a move, and until now I hadn't realized I'd missed it.

"You are working, Jack" Karen whispered, looking somewhat flattered.

We fell onto our backs and peered up into the night sky. The strata tonight were clearer than I have ever seen before. I chose one star above all else in the sky to remind me of tonight. It was Thuban, one of the Draco's imperishable stars. It could be seen at any time of year. It would not fade from the night sky. It was perfect.

.....

The next day I felt exhausted. The long walk back home after taking Karen back to the vineyard seemed to take an aeon, draining every little bit of energy from me while still avoiding a dire hospital visit. I crawled out of my bed to let Sparky out, and then crawled right back into bed. I felt like I wanted to sleep forever.

I awoke hours later to a horde of hungry sheep all bleating their hardest to get their meals first. After feeding Fluffy, Fuzzy, Fluzzy, Fuffy, Furry, Flurry, and Tookie-Tookie I let Little Miss, my calf, eat something as well. While I was watering them however, I heard the doors behind me swing open. As I reared around behind me to see who ever it was I felt my foot slide into the most undesirable of aspects: Little Miss's droppings.

"Most smooth, young grasshopper" My favorite senior citizen clad in red jibed.

"Grandpa!" I said with excitement.

"You are the new king I see" The Potion Master stated.

"Yeah, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing" I pondered.

"Hmm... well then. Seeing that you are king, you will need one of these," The Potion Master said as he dug through his cloak.

"Ahah!" he sang at last, and pulled out a small flute type thing.

"Umm... and that is?" I asked in bewilderment.

"An Ocarina. You are the king, and so you have the honor of dressing in a costume and playing this ocarina along with three others in the town square on the 27th" The Potion Master explained.

"So, is there, you know, a reason for me to do this?" I questioned.

"You're king! It's tradition," The Potion Master said. To him this whole thing was as natural as leaves falling off the trees in the fall.

"What tradition? I was never told on any tradition I had to uphold," I stated.

"Why, the tradition of the Spirit Festival of course!" The Potion Master exclaimed. " The holiday of the dead!"

"What?!" I exclaimed. From what little I got out of this conversation I would be doing a song for a bunch of dead people.

"Let me sum it up for you" The Potion Master decided. "You play an Ocarina and the people around you pray for their deceased friends and relatives."

"But- I don't- there's not- it isn't," I babbled.

The Potion Master didn't seem to hear my incessant garble coming from my mouth, and instead shoved the ocarina into my hand. "It plays just like one of those fancy guitar things your generation uses" The old man promised as he walked out the door.

So I was doomed to a public embarrassment. At least I could pull my friends out of the crowd to play with me so I didn't look like an idiot all by my lonesome.

.....

As the next two days passed by I found the ocarina extremely easy to play. The sheet music the Potion Master gave me was easy enough anyways. Hopefully I wouldn't be too embarrassed. Of course if I didn't mess up the song every one could still laugh at the silly costume I had to wear that the mayor sent in the mail. It made me look like a Chia pet.

The festival took place under the cloudy sky and many came and gathered to pray for their deceased loved ones. I sent one up for Grandpa, thanking him for everything he's left me with. Since that night that I had spent with Karen under the stars, many of my problems had seemed to disappear. But my thoughts also dwindled on her and her grandmother. She would surely be praying for her tonight.

Of course for the song I drug Cliff, Rick, and Harris up to play instruments with me, much to their dissatisfaction. We actually did quite the decent job. I had a hard time imagining anyone screwing up on a night like this though. It was too special for everyone here. I would have died myself if I had ruined this for anyone I think. It was like we were working against the night, trying to keep the music flowing until everyone silently left for their homes.

The last person remaining at the festival was Karen. I knew what she was thinking about. Or at least I thought I did. Once she disappeared into the night we let the song die down into a lull and then into nothing at all.

As I walked back home alone I saw a single dark silhouette standing in the middle of the road. I couldn't tell who it was, only to realize I had forgotten to take off the Chia pet the mayor called a mask. I tore the covering off of my head to find that it was the one person standing in the middle of the road that I wanted to see more than anyone else right now.

"Karen!" I said as I ran over to her.

"Jack..." Karen started. She seemed very sad.

"Did I play well enough?" I asked, unable to think of anything better to start a conversation about.

"Jack listen to me" Karen pleaded.

"Karen, I have something I should have probably told you a long time ago" I told her, completely ignoring her last statement.

"Listen to me damn it, before you hurt us both" Karen scolded.

"What?" I asked, deeply confused.

The wind picked up as she fought back against tears in her eyes. "Jack, I'm leaving. I've got to."

"What do you meaning, leaving?" I asked with sudden concern.

"Leaving from the village is what I mean" Karen spilled out. "I'm leaving for Edgewater on New Year's Day."

I crushed the mask in my hand into a mess of straw and continued on home without saying another word to her. My shoulder brushed hers as I paced away, leaving behind what would surely be another painful memory. I could live with her being a jerk to me for all that time and using me to push Kai away if she honestly meant that she was sorry. I could forgive that. This feeling, however, was something I hadn't felt since I was seventeen.


	12. Welcome to the Jungle

A Dream A Hope A Scar A Mission

Chapter 12: Welcome to the Jungle

On New Year's Eve just about everyone else in Flowerbud were at the Inn, having a fun time, carrying on, except for me. It was only 8PM, but everyone was still jeering, carrying on, and having a good time nonetheless, except for me. And, although I'm not positive, everyone was probably experiencing the evening with the one person they cared for more than anyone else, except for me.

The house was a horrible mess. A box of over-flipped donuts lay on my coffee table and the weather channel was on, playing its earlier forecast from this morning. My rug was crumpled into a horrible mess with Sparky using it as a blanket. Dirty dishes from the sink were left unclean from my fish dinner. Dirty clothes were skewed across the floor. The place was a dump.

A strange sound came from the doorway and seemed to get closer and closer. As the sound grew nearer and nearer it seemed to speak out my name. It was clearly a voice.

"Jack!" The voice spoke out. "Jack!"

Somewhat bewildered, I jumped off my bed and cautiously crept over to the door and slowly cracked open the door. My eyes had a hard time adjusting from the artificial light of my house lamps to the sheer darkness outside. Yet standing just off my front step was the Potion Master.

"Jack, how have you been?" the wizened one asked.

"I've been... alright," I answered. However, that was a lie. My inherent grandfather could see right through it too.

"You aren't fine, young man," The Potion Master corrected. "What are you so afraid of Jack? Why will you not join the rest of us at the Inn?"

"I'm not afraid. I'm just... not in the mood," I lied again.

"Whatever is holding you back in life Jack, let go of it," The Potion Master wizened.

"Grandpa, nothing is stopping me from doing what I want to in my life," I explained. "No one has the balls to try and stop me," I taunted. I figured if I showed him confidence he would back down.

"Really? Then why are you even here?" The Potion Master inquired.

"Grandpa, I'm sick of this crap," I cursed.

"Then stop me, since you can stop anything and anyone," the Potion Master taunted back.

"Grandpa, so help me!" I yelled.

"No one can stop you. You're young. Then why did you come here Jack," the Potion Master pondered aloud.

By this point the Potion Master was really getting on my nerves. He had never pushed any subject this far before to the point where it was downright insulting. I was questioning his motives. Was this really him? I could only wonder. However, perhaps this was just me acting rashly. Yeah, that was it. I was in a bad mood and I was pushing the one guy around I should be accepting more than anyone else at this particular moment. But then again, if he wanted an argument, then an argument is what he was going to get.

"That's right Grandpa, and you can't stop me from staying silent," I told him off.

"Really, then what of your former boss, Mr. O'Malley? He had nothing to do with you taking up your inheritance?" the Potion Master questioned.

"That pile of trash was going to lay me off anyways. I left for here with Dad and all my vacation days were spent. When I got back those days would have been counted as absences or what not, and he would have fired me on the spot," I argued.

This piece of information obviously perked the Potion Master's interest. "Yet you were unwilling to fight for your job?"

"A job I didn't want," I shot back.

"A job you wanted to escape" the Potion Master stated. The scary thing was, deep down, it was a correct statement. "Really, you're not such a tough guy Jack. You let your emotions over-run your head. Then you lose things. Your temper, your job, your spirit." The Potion Master was really racking up a list. "Your girl."

"That's none of your business!" I snapped at him.

"There's still time. Her ship is scheduled to leave late tonight instead of tomorrow morning. It is most unfortunate, but you still have time. Run to the dock and stop her Jack!" the Potion Master urged. I did not need to be told twice.

I sprinted at top speed to the docks. I could hear the roar of the smoke stack over the treetops. My blood was boiling. Adrenaline was kicked into my body. Lactic acid was flooding to my legs. Yet, I couldn't feel a thing. Only one thing mattered now, and that was stopping the most important thing in my life to shaking my foundations. At long last I reached the vista overlooking the beach to hear the captain of the steam ship to yell out "All Aboard!" and Karen to gaze into the open sea by the side railing. The steam ship began to move only as I neared the bottom of the vista. Karen gave a wide-open one-armed wave and turned to look back at the sea. I began running down the docks all too late for the steam ship to begin chugging its engine along, slowly pulling itself away from the coast.

"Karen!" I yelled out, but to no adui. She couldn't hear me over the roar of the ship. Frustrated, I dove into the water. That proved to be quite the rash decision. I was willing to follow this boat all the way back to the mainland, however. There was no way I could catch the old steam ship, the machine could out-perform me. I began to slip into blackness. My eyes slumped into a closed position. Yet as I opened them back up, I was no longer in the ocean. I was no longer swimming, but I was running. I was in one place I thought I left in Edgewater. High School.

Finishing the last 100 meters of the race in a dead sprint I pulled my self off the track. I was very scared, but my body seemed very relaxed.

"Good show Jack!" came a voice I had not heard in many years.

"That was rockin' bro" came a second.

I cocked my head to the directions of the voices, but it seemed as if I had no other choice.

"Hey Jack, I saw that personal record there" came the voice of my high school friend, Nigel.

Upon closer inspection, I was at a track meet. It was the State Finals, and I was the second runner of our 4x800 meter relay team.

" Yeah, that was pretty awesome," I said, congratulating myself on my performance in the 50 free. What was scary was, I didn't say those words, but I did. They came out of my mouth, but I didn't want to say them. I was reliving my life on rails. I had no control.

"Just for that, you and Charlie and Max can come over for a victory celebration," Nigel cheered. "I got this absolutely brilliant game for my Nintendo. It's called 'Jackal.' You're a team of jeeps and you drive around and shoot the bad guys and save prisoners. It's smashing."

"Yeah, I'll have to bring 'Mega Man' over and show you that it's beatable!" I bragged.

"You dorks done chatting yet?" came a flattery female voice. No. It couldn't be.

"Hey Sarah, did you see that race? Pretty amazing, wasn't it?" I asked as I watched our third runner, who happened to be Charlie, round his first lap and move onto his second.

After our race ended I ran to cool my muscles down with the rest of my relay team. Upon returning Charlie, who was as skinny as I was at the time, went over to see Nigel, an immigrant from England who ran the two-mile event but unfortunately never made it out of the Regional Meet, and Max, who was a discus thrower, if that gives you any idea of his proportions. We discussed our plan for the evening to celebrate the meet. Even though the 4x800 meter relay team got 3rd, we were still very pleased at our performance.

"Hey Jack," Nigel said to draw my attention. "If you want you could bring Sarah along over to my house to celebrate too, as long you two don't do stuff on the couch in my basement," he said with a smirk.

"Heh, you'd do that wouldn't you Jack?" Max jibed with a smirk, rubbing me in the ribs with his elbow.

"Nah, Jack wouldn't do that Max. His relationship is," Charlie explained as his raised his fingers to make mock quotations, "too meaningful to do stuff like that."

"Bah shut up about that Charlie, I thought you said you wouldn't tell anyone I said that," I scolded. That was a rather embarrassing moment. My cheeks still burn to think about it.

"Ah, I'm just having fun with you Jack," Charlie reconciled.

.....

Everything was happening just as it did in the past. The same people said the same things on the bus ride back home as I recalled it, and after returning home I celebrated with Dad **and** Mom for my race. I wanted to clasp mom in my arms. I wanted to cry for dear life. She was going to die that night, and I couldn't do anything about it. I was just an omniscient force, watching my past from the sidelines.

"Jack honey, I'm going to be leaving for a business trip tonight," Mom said as she pulled me aside.

"Aight mom, I'll catch you later then." There would be no later. Horrorstricken, there was nothing I could do. I was merely watching.

.....

Later that night Sarah pulled into the driveway with her large declassified Hummer. Her dad was a military man. He got it for her real cheap.

"Sarah, what's going on?" I asked her as she stepped out of her vehicle and onto the front porch. She was a beautiful girl. Black hair. Brown eyes. Excellent figure. I asked her out nine months ago after one of her basketball games. I was rather surprised when she said yes. I was planning on a cold rejection.

"Not much," she said as she wrapped her arms around me in embrace.

"You ready to head over?" I asked her, referring to Nigel's house.

"You know I'll follow you anywhere," Sarah said in a hushed tone as she pecked me on the cheek with a kiss.

I wanted to resist these events so badly, but simply couldn't.

Once we reached Nigel's house Sarah and I walked down stairs into his well-kept basement. On an old couch sat Charlie and Max, blasting away at this new fangled "Jackal" game that Nigel picked up. Nigel was wedged between the two on the couch with his feet on the actual cushion and his bottom end sitting on the back-rest.

"Use your grenades Max!" Nigel screamed out. "Charles, old sport, get that prisoner! He gives you missiles!" Nigel coached. "No Max, why'd you die? Charlie can't take on the helicopter all on his own! Ah hell!"

"Are we interrupting?" I asked, somewhat dumbstruck.

"Nah chum, certainly not" Nigel corrected. "You see, these boys just got smashed by the helicopter in the bog. Pretty ugly if you ask me."

"Yeah, sounds real ugly. We'll just watch," I said with a hint of sarcasm as Sarah and I sat down on another old couch from a decade ago that Nigel must have picked up at a garage sale.

Within minutes Sarah and I were having at each other, following our heart's content.

"Jack, we need to stop," Sarah said, pushing me away.

"What's wrong?" I asked with sudden concern.

"Look Jack, come with me outside" she asked, pulling me by the wrist towards the direction of the door.

Once outside, away from the laughs and jeers of my friends and into the cool night air, Sarah held onto my hands.

"Look Jack, its summer, and I think we should sort of call our relationship off" Sarah said in a hushed tone.

"Why?" I asked. It seemed I was always the one asking questions.

"I'm going to be gone all summer and..." Sarah started, but broke off mid-sentence.

"... and where are you going?" I asked Sarah with some suspicion. She was quite the flirt in school, which is the reason why I didn't think that she would ever go out with me.

"I have basketball camp, then I'm going to my dad's house in Baddenville" Sarah answered.

"Then there's no reason why we should break up," I corrected, suddenly turning stern.

"But Jack, I...never intended for the relationship to last this long," Sarah babbled.

"Look, if you want to break up with me so that you can flirt with some guy at your dad's house for the summer, go right ahead. I don't care, because that is the sort of thing that Sarah Olicher does!" I lectured. I knew I was right when I said this, because I had heard stories of what she had done during the summers away from Edgewater. She had spoke of her summer affairs to her friends, and I had been warned several times by them that she would hurt me. I didn't pay attention. I wish I had. Oh God, I wish I had.

"Fine Jack, yeah, I'm going to go to my dad's house and meet a guy twice as attractive and fun as you and I'll do all the things I never did with you with him!" Sarah yelled, trying to make me feel bad.

"Just get out of here," I said in a low growling voice.

"You can't send me away from here, it's not your house!" Sarah shouted back.

"This is the closest place to home without it being home, and damn it, get out of here!" I shouted into her face.

At that Sarah turned around in tears and headed to her declassified hummer. Nigel would give me a ride home the next morning in his Trans Am if I remembered correctly. Looking back, it was just a stupid teenager argument about nothing important. I wish I had known that then. My mother would still be alive today if I had seen that then.

I began to feel sense over my body again, and my surroundings were changing again, now back to my house in peaceful Flowerbud. Solitude was restored. I was laying on my bed, and it was all a dream. It was just a nightmare. Yet something didn't feel right. I looked to my clock. It read 12:00. Midnight. The room seemed foggy. Yet the fog within the room seemed to gather together over the foot of my bed, glowing a pale blue. The fog was taking a form of something, or more correctly, someone. The fog formed into someone I hadn't seen in near exactly one year, and the last time I saw him, he was cold and dead.

"Jack Munich" came a voice very omniscient.

"What?" I asked as the fog formed to the face of my grandfather. "I must still be dreaming," I thought.

"Tonight, you have seen what has come to pass in your life. You have been reminded of everything dear and close that has been destroyed" The foggy figure reminded me.

"Grandpa?" I asked in sheer fright.

"Yes Jack, it is I" I figure spoke. I was afraid, but something about him was calming. Warming.

"What is going on here Grandpa?" I asked, still nervous.

"You have been dreaming. I showed you once more what you have been avoiding in your life" Grandpa wizened.

"But why? Why did you bring back the pain?" I asked, somewhat angered, yet fearful all the same.

"So that you may not lose sight of your goals" Grandpa decided.

"But Grandpa, I'm doing everything you would have wanted me to do" I argued, still feeling awkward I was talking to something of a ghost.

"Yes, and you're performing wonderfully. The farm is in excellent shape now. It's economically flourishing. But your heart isn't flourishing Jack" Grandpa corrected.

"It's hard when some people chose to haunt my dreams with the past" I reminded.

"Jack, everything you have seen tonight has come to pass" Grandpa riddled.

"What do you mean, wasn't it all just a dream?" I asked.

"It was more than just a dream Jack. It was your life. A comparison." Grandpa's words were haunting.

"You mean.... she's gone?" I asked as I swallowed deeply.

"You do not see that your life is merely repeating itself Jack?" Grandpa questioned once more. I remained silent to the question, understanding the painful truth.

"It's time you took back control of your life Jack" Grandpa declared.

"How so? Going to the city and dragging Karen back here?" I mused.

"I cannot tell you. If I did, you would not be leading your own life, but living one as you have been told," Grandpa answered like a fortune cookie.

"Then what can you tell me?" I asked, slightly irritated.

"I can tell you that you will have to discover three things" Grandpa explained. " Search out for the Harvest Spirits. They will save this land."

"Are those the little elf creatures in the mountain with Cliff?" I asked.

"Ah, so the Harvest Spirits have already befriended a human. Excellent. This will make the task much easier. I was unaware they had spoken to any humanoid besides me in a long time" Grandpa rejoiced.

"Why haven't they talked to anyone in so long?" I asked.

"Because they became with displeased with their relationship with their last human friend. They cursed his land until another took up the ground."

"Wait, that would mean that-" I began to reason.

"Yes Jack. Just connect the dots. I was their last human-friend. They may treat you with prejudice" Grandpa warned.

"Okay, I'll remember that. What else do I need to find?" I questioned.

"You must find your childhood. It is buried within the farm" Grandpa informed me.

"What do you mean? How do I find something that doesn't actually exist?" I pondered.

"Last of all," Grandpa interrupted, pretending not to hear what I just said, "You must search out for Saibara, master of the forge."

"What is a Saibara?" I asked.

"You have one year Jack, do not let me down" Grandpa said as he began to dissipate.

"No Grandpa!" I shouted, running my hands through the thick fog that once formed my Grandfather's spirit. "I still have so much to ask you!"

"No!" I screamed once more, yet everything was different. Darkness no longer poured through my windows, but beautiful sunlight. My clock read 7AM, Spring the 2nd. I was finally awake after four long years.


	13. Here We Go Again

A Dream. A Hope. A Scar. A Mission.

Chapter 13: Here I Go Again

The day seemed pleasantly cool as I stepped out from my ever –improving cottage. I quickly stepped inside again however, to wash myself down and consider the events of the previous night. I was covered in cold sweat still since I awoke. It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least.

I prepared myself a breakfast of eggs and toast as I gazed silently into nothingness. Had I seen a ghost last night? What was going on? I figured I was hallucinating, but then why did I have the awful flashback? The Potion Master seemed like the obvious go-to man. But first I needed to go up to Karen's house. I wasn't sure if she was really gone or not either. Truth be told, I wasn't really sure about pretty much everything going on at that moment. For the first time since I came to Flowerbud I'd wished I was back in Edge Water, putting in my punch card, logging in my hours, and going home to watch TV silently with dad and yell at the politicians on CNN.

I shoved the thought quickly out of my mind as I remembered how busy the day would be. I did have to order a new batch of seeds as well as plant them into the ground. Dreaming of toiling away in the spring sunlight once again without any cares in the world sounded very appealing to me at that moment.

The trudge up to the old vineyard was bittersweet at best. I recalled the first time I saw Karen walking down this very path that I was carrying myself up. She had yelled at her father for invading her concerns. Perhaps then she would no longer have to worry about old Donavan meddling in her affairs. Then recalling the second time I saw the vineyard I was struck with more sadness than the first. It was when Karen had twisted her ankle making her way up to Cliff's cavern. The emotions brought up that night were ever painful, and seeing the pain I struck into Kai seemed to burn my heart. I never meant to hurt him like that. I never wanted to hurt anyone.

While knocking on the door I gazed over into the vineyard where the grapes were grown. It was a sad site to see. I half expected tumbleweed to roll across the scene as the wind picked up. The vines were in a sorry state of wilting, looking unfit to grow the most meager of grapes.

"Yes?" came a growling voice as the door opened.

" Greetings Donavan" I said as I peered past his shoulder to see into the living room. "Is Karen here?"

"No, you had best tend to your farm and little else from now on" Donavan warned.

"Where is she then?" I asked.

"You know damn well where my daughter went, you spoiled brat!" Donovan roared. "You filled her head with crazy stories of Edge Water, telling her of a world where everyone is free to do as they wish and no one has to work for what they have."

"I had also come to repay old debts to you, but it seems that you have little interest in my wishes" I shot back as I felt my temper rise. "And I never told your daughter any fanciful stories of the city. Why would I tell her to go live in hell on Earth?" I questioned.

"Because you're the only one around this entire island that knows anything about the city" Donavan blasted back at me.

"Maybe it's that no one ever told her of the city perhaps? Maybe its that no one ever educated her, only shielded her from the outside world, suppressed her?" I bit. "Maybe she left because you never gave her a chance come into her own? Maybe she left because you never gave her that option, so she wanted to just because you didn't want that?"

Hearing my cold words Donavan reached his hands out quite quickly for an old guy, grabbing my collar and swinging me around, pushing me up against the outer wall of his house. "You listen to me boy!" he roared. He held onto my shirt with amazing force. For an old guy, that is.

"May the stars forbid it, but should you ever have children, then tell me how to raise them! But until that day, you have no right to incriminate on my parenting capabilities!" Donavan roared into my face.

"And you have no right to touch me" I snapped as I swiftly grabbed onto his collar. With equally deadly swiftness I threw the aging man to the ground. " Your daughter acts just like you, don't you realize that? I can't blame her for leaving here and manipulating people, because she just learned it all from you!"

"How dare you come onto my own land and instigate a fight!" Donavan growled as he got up, dusting his pants off.

"Both of you, stop talking, just please try and act like decent human beings." shot a voice very unfamiliar to me.

"Kathryn, get back inside!" Donavan shouted into the doorway. "Stay out of this!"

Looking through the oak door's silhouette stood a woman that I had seen before, but had rarely heard speak. She had red hair that was starting to show it's age and seemed lithe with a light complexion. It seemed that she was in her early fifties. It was Karen's mother.

"Donavan, leave Jack be, please" Kathryn pleaded.

"Kathryn, what did I say?" Donavan questioned.

"But..." Kathryn attempted to argue.

"Kathryn!" Donavan raised his voice.

Kathryn slowly retreated back into the house.

"Now boy, get off my land before I get angry" Donavan ordered.

"As you wish Donavan. I've got bigger fish to fry" I nagged as I began walking back down the dusty road into town.

"You're lucky I didn't lay you flat!" Donavan yelled after me.

I didn't look back, taking assurance in myself that I had just won that argument. It was no wonder Karen acted like she did though when her father treated her with his iron fist parenting. What was discouraging about that household was also Karen's mother. An intense sadness seemed to radiate from her, as if she was helpless. She hardly even tried to fight back when Donavan ordered her back into the house. Indeed, Donavan tried to control every aspect of his life, especially his family, just like how Karen tried to control Kai and I.

The botanist shop was a mess of fresh grown spring flowers. This was obviously Popuri's work. As I entered the shop everything was quiet, except for the sound of a radio being emitted from behind a closed door in the corner of the store. I approached the door and began to knock and wait. No response. I figured the radio, which was playing some weird flighty romantic music, must have been too loud for whoever was inside to hear my cautious knocking. I cracked open the door ever so quietly to find the quarters to be a bedroom garnished with flowers everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I mean foldout posters of flowers on the wall and flower boxes circling the sitting on every possible flat surface save the bed, which was of floral print, and the narrow path between flower pots on the tile flower, which had a flower design inscribed on it, too.

A most peculiar sound came from the connecting room, which had a door that was left wide open. It sounded like raindrops pattering on a vinyl floor. Gazing in, it was apparent that it was a bathroom, and a bathroom in use indeed. The shower was running, and with a running shower comes a person showering. I pulled on my collar as sweat started to roll down me. For within the shower was an attractive pink haired girl. While her personality was rather spoiled and girlish, I had never neglected the features of who I presumed the form was in the shower. Well, at least I was hoping it was Popuri anyways. The sliding glass door to the shower was blurred, which didn't allow me to make out any specific "details."

Quietly excusing myself from the room, I took all the turnip and potato seed I needed from the cabinets and bins and left the appropriate amount due on the counter, held down with a small rock so that the wind could not blow my payment away. Wiping the sweat from my brow I quickly exited to make for the Potion Master's cottage.

The walk seemed to take ages from the botanist shop to my non-genetic grandfather's cottage. I felt like a savage to have been gawking at a young girl while she was bathing. I was an adult, a responsible one at that, trying to make a decent living, not some hormonal kid in high school that had to get his hands in on any decent looking girl he knew. The guilt sank in even deeper as I passed Lillia, Popuri's mother, on the road as she headed back to the botanist shop. I couldn't bear to look into her eyes.

The Potion Master's hamlet was but a simple cottage, much smaller than my farmhouse. I opened the wood door to be tackled by two bouncing young boys and a dog. I knew the boys and the dog well enough as friends in addition to rivals.

"Nice to see you Jack!" called the smaller dark haired on the two boys.

"What's going on Stu?" I asked as I picked the two boys and the dog, along with myself, up from the floor. "And what about you Kent?"

"We're doing alright" chimed in Kent.

"Yeah, but Grandpa isn't looking the best" Stu said with a note of sadness in his voice.

"Why, what's wrong?" I questioned with deep concern.

"He is feeling very sick right now" Kent explained. "But he says that none of his medicine can help him."

"Will Grandpa get better Jack?" Stu asked, only wanting to hear one answer.

"Of course he will" I assured, unknowing of what was really wrong with him. "Just let me see him."

I set the three down and followed them through the living room, which was an obscure mess of ovens for heating of medicines as well as tables covered in alchemical instruments and medicines. Pulling through the next door I saw a bed stricken old man with a horrible cough, which I immediately identified as the Potion Master, accompanied by a second elderly man I had never seen before.

"Greetings Jack" chocked the elderly man I recently began identifying with as Grandpa.

"Hello Grandpa" I said as I choked to see him in such pain. He was quite pale with a wheezing cough.

"I do not believe you have met Saibara" The Potion Master managed.

"Saibara?" I asked, suddenly startled at recalling the name from the dream. Perhaps it was more than just a dream now though.

"Hmph, is there a problem with my name young one?" the man going by the name of Saibara questioned.

"No it's just... déjà vu' I suppose" I explained.

"Or something.." the Potion Master coughed. "Something more than just a feeling in the pit of your stomach?"

"Look Grandpa, I came here because I had this strange hallucination on New Year's Eve" I rolled out. "I thought it was a nightmare. You were there."

"Ah yes... go on" The Potion Master beckoned.

"And then I had this flashback. I was seventeen..." I said, but stopping myself there as to not go any further with the story.

"What else did you see Jack" The Potion Master questioned.

"There was my Grandfather, and he spoke to me, but he was a ghost, and he mentioned your name," I said as I pointed to Saibara. The Potion Master and Saibara merely shot concerned glances back at each other. They probably thought I was crazy.

"And did Hess tell you anything of Moon Mountain?" Saibara asked.

"He mentioned the small creatures inside of it, telling me that they cursed the land because my Grandpa betrayed their trust until a newcomer took up his land" I answered.

"This is good and bad," the Potion Master declared.

"The earth shouldn't be cursed any longer, correct?" Saibara pondered aloud.

The Potion Master coughed again. Regaining his breath, "Perhaps not entirely. The grandson of Hess Munich still farms the land."

"How well does Hess's old land grow then?" Saibara questioned.

"I haven't had any problem with it. It's not the greatest soil I've ever seen, but it works" I answered.

"Jack, go to the library some time and look up the history of the village. Find out what your Grandfather's land was like before you knew it." The Potion Master asked of me.

" Did Hess tell you anything else in your dream?" Saibara asked.

" He told me that I had to dig up the past," I told.

" Intriguing. Perhaps going to the library is only the first step of a much greater scheme already set in motion" The Potion Master answered with a winded cough. "Now Jack, please go, Saibara and I must converge with these new facts you have given us."

" Yes sir" I answered as I found my own way to the door. Walking back home even more puzzled, The Potion Master and Saibara seemed sure that it was more than just a dream. First things first, before digging up a book of village history, I had a hot air balloon to catch for the Planting Festival.

The Planting Festival was a bit of a thrill, but only for the hot air balloon. One year ago on that day Grandpa Potion Master flew up into the air in the same balloon, sewing seeds all over the island. Now I was in his position, as if I was replacing him. If only I knew how true that would become. For the time being I was content to live out my life with little worry, leisurely making my way to the library to pick up the single book on village history from Maria. I had yet to touch the hardbound book that was barely strung together any longer, apparently having gone through quite a bit of abuse. While I had checked the book out I had not read any of it. I was intimidated by its size, seemingly as thick as a dictionary. How could one little village have so much history to it? Oh well, that was one question that would wait for a different day, a different day indeed.

I didn't both going to the Horse races this year at all, preferring to stay home and analyze the soil. Grandpa Potion Master and Saibara seemed very interested in the condition of land, so through my crops I continued to investigate the condition of the earth I was tilling.

Unfortunately for me, fate would have other ideas than leaving me to my lonesome on my farm to till and raise to my heart's content. I had another mandatory festival to attend, seeing as I was king. Using my privilege to vote, I approached the ballot box for the Queen of Flowers. As I grabbed a ballot and a pen I realized something. I would have to dance with whoever the queen was. I also realized that Karen was no longer on the ballot, having left the island. This made things difficult. I had a vote between four girls, all my age. There was Ann, but she was my best friend's girl. Then there was Elli. While her pies were delicious I was not in the least attracted to her. Maria was the third choice. I seldom talked to her, and would be quite awkward to dance with her, even though I had with her in the past. Then Popuri was the fourth choice. A nice body with a limited amount of thought power to wield beyond that of which directly concerned her. I knew there was only one choice. I wrote down my thoughts on the ballot and slipped it into the box.

Back at home I finally began to peer into the village history book, for lack of better things to do. An intricate family web was made for the entire village, but only cited those that remained in the village until their deaths, unless someone had returned to the village a few generations later. Oddly enough, I was written into the book. I had traced my name up the chart, through Arnold Munich, and up to the very top to Hess Munich. It was strange, my grandfather sat at the very top, along with three other men. One was Saibara Indigo, along with Korington Brown. The third's name was Ori Westchester. Saibara Indigo would have been the man I had just met at the Potion Master's house, and Korington was Pastor Brown's first name. The village seemed surprisingly young, having been settled in 1945. I did not recognize this Ori Westchester however.

There were some other points of notice to the historic village tree. The Potion Master, otherwise known as Samuel Devington, was one of the first men to move to the island after it's creation. Also, Karen was nowhere to be found on the tree. Someone must have changed the records quite recently. I was curious to find out who changed the records, as well as more curious to keep diving in to see what secrets the next pages held, but I would be abruptly cut short. Gazing out into the setting sun outside, a loud bang sounded on my front door.

"Munich, I want you out here right now!" sounded the commanding voice. I assumed it was Donavan, but the voice didn't sound like his. It was still loud, booming, and gruff, but a different octave. I slowly began to open the door to see my restless neighbor.

AN: Ah yes, chapter 13 was a very fun one to write indeed. I hope you folks enjoy it. It seems the story is going to take an unexpected twist from what I originally planned. I had figured on seven more chapters to finish up the story, but now I'm thinking more like eleven chapters now. The story is going to kick off more into a sci-fi direction now, but no more sci-fi than pvc's "A Haven from the Storm." I do hope you enjoyed this chapter once again, and if you have time, please write a review. They're motivational.


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